Downing Street says Donald Trump's statements are 'a matter for him' after he fails to directly condemn white supremacists
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Donald Trump's statements are "a matter for him", Theresa May's spokesman said today after the President failed to directly condemn white supremacists.
Downing Street said the Prime Minister was clear in condemning the far right - but would not comment directly on the US President's remarks.
President Trump sparked anger from his own party after saying he condemned "hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides" at a nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
White nationalists at the protest on Saturday were seen chanting "f*** you faggots" and "blood and soil", a Nazi propaganda slogan.
And an anti-racism activist was killed and 19 injured when a car ploughed into crowds of counter-protesters. James Alex Fields Jr, who joined white supremacists at the rally, faces a murder charge.
(Image: Anadolu)
(Image: REUTERS)
Former KKK leader David Duke attended the rally and told reporters: "We're going to fulfil the promises of Donald Trump."
But Trump denied his brand of politics was responsible, saying: "It's been going on for a long time in our country - not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama."
Asked if President Trump's comments were robust enough, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said today: "What the President says is a matter for him.
"But what we were very clear on, very early on after this tragedy, was we condemn racism, hatred and violence."
Asked if Mrs May was condemning violence on "all sides", the spokesman replied pointedly: "The PM's been very clear. We condemn racism. We condemn the far right."
(Image: AFP)
(Image: REUTERS)
(Image: REUTERS)
Mrs May, who held hands with the US President when they first met in the White House, has been accused of failing to criticise him strongly enough over climate change and his ban on people from Muslim nations.
She is on holiday until Thursday.
As a backlash against President Trump grew yesterday, the White House e-mailed a statement from an anonymous spokesperson to reporters.
It claimed: "The president said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred and of course that includes white Supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups.”
Last night Vice President Mike Pence issued a direct condemnation, saying: "We have no tolerance for hate and violence from white supremacists, neo Nazis or the KKK.
"These dangerous fringe groups have no place in American public life and in the American debate, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms."