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Theresa May does 'not agree' with US ban on refugees May criticised over response to US immigration clampdown
(about 2 hours later)
Prime Minister Theresa May does "not agree" with Donald Trump's refugee ban and will appeal to the US if it affects British citizens, Downing Street says. Theresa May has come under fire for not acting sooner to criticise a US entry ban on refugees and citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries.
She had been criticised for refusing to condemn the move, instead saying it was up to the US to decide its own policy. She initially said it was a matter for the US, before No 10 said she "does not agree" with it.
The order halts all refugee admissions and has temporarily barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries. Lib Dem Tim Farron said she should have opposed it earlier. The SNP's Alex Salmond accused her of "cowardice".
Iraq-born Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi, who is affected by the ban, said it was cruel and he hoped it would be reversed. But minister David Gauke defended her, saying she was not a "shoot-from-the-hip" type of politician.
The MP for Stratford-on-Avon, told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: : "I don't think I have felt discriminated against, probably, since little school." Mrs May visited the US on Friday, before President Trump issued an executive order halting the entire US refugee programme, and also instituting a 90-day travel ban for nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
He said the ban would stop him and his wife visiting their twin sons, who are at Princeton University in the US. She was, by then, in Turkey, where she declined to condemn the order.
Within hours of landing back in the UK, Downing Street released a statement clarifying her position.
"Immigration policy in the United States is a matter for the government of the United States," said a No 10 spokesman.
"But we do not agree with this kind of approach and it is not one we will be taking."
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show, Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said: "She wants to see the evidence, she wants to understand precisely what the implications are...
"She is someone who wants to see the briefing and understand it and then will respond to that... The important thing is we are saying we disagree with it and we do think it's wrong."
'Totally wrong'
But Opposition politicians and some Conservative MPs have criticised Mrs May for not speaking out sooner.
Former SNP leader Mr Salmond described it to Sky News as "a shameful moment of cowardice" from the UK prime minister.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused her of a "weak failure" to stand up for British values. He told ITV's Peston on Sunday that it would be "totally wrong" for a planned state visit to the UK by Mr Trump to go ahead while the row continued.
And Lib Dem leader Tim Farron told the BBC: "She should've argued against this from the beginning, but once it became apparent that this was going to affect British people... you would expect the British prime minister to fight Britain's corner."
Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi, who was born in Baghdad, told the the BBC the ban meant he would be unable to visit his sons who are studying at Princeton University in the US.
The MP for Stratford on Avon said the ban was cruel and he hoped it would be reversed, telling Andrew Marr: "I don't think I have felt discriminated against, probably, since little school.
"I'm hoping he will reconsider this decision, I think it's hugely discriminatory.""I'm hoping he will reconsider this decision, I think it's hugely discriminatory."
He said the UK should not " look the other way when President Trump makes a mistake" but added: "I'm reassured by Theresa May's statement because she quite clearly says she disagrees with this." He said the UK should not "look the other way when President Trump makes a mistake", but added: "I'm reassured by Theresa May's statement because she quite clearly says she disagrees with this."
Is it worth the backlash for May?Is it worth the backlash for May?
By Susana Mendonca, BBC political correspondentBy Susana Mendonca, BBC political correspondent
Before all the hand holding and pally smiles, Theresa May promised the world she would not be afraid to tell Donald Trump what she thought when she disagreed with him. Before all the hand holding and pally smiles, Theresa May promised the world she would not be afraid to tell Donald Trump what she thought when she disagreed with him. It didn't take long for her to stumble at the first hurdle.
It didn't take long for her to fall at the first hurdle. Downing Street later said the prime minister didn't agree with Mr Trump's approach. And her Chief Secretary to the Treasury also said she was not the kind of politician to "shoot from the hip".
The PM changed her tune hours later, but this tougher stance only came after wide condemnation of her failure to condemn Mr Trump in the first place. But this tougher stance only came after wide criticism of her failure to condemn the president in the first place.
Even her own MPs were angry. Iraqi born Nadhim Zahawi said he was also now banned from the US; another said she didn't care how "special" the relationship was, some lines shouldn't be crossed. Iraqi-born MP Nadhim Zahawi said he would also be banned from the US; fellow Conservative Heidi Allen said she didn't care how "special" the relationship was, some lines shouldn't be crossed.
And that's the trouble for Theresa May. Donald Trump is bound to cross yet more lines, and if she doesn't criticise him she'll look like the weak partner obeying the powerful one.And that's the trouble for Theresa May. Donald Trump is bound to cross yet more lines, and if she doesn't criticise him she'll look like the weak partner obeying the powerful one.
The real question for her will be whether keeping Donald Trump sweet in the interests of getting a good trade deal for Britain is worth the backlash she'll get for not being candid enough when she and Britain disagrees with him. The real question for her will be whether keeping Mr Trump sweet in the interests of getting a good trade deal for Britain is worth the backlash she'll get for not being candid enough when she and Britain disagrees with him.
But other Conservatives have been critical and Labour's Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May showed "weak failure" in standing up for British values: "President Trump's executive order against refugees and Muslims should shock and appal us all." Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was pleased the prime minister "has now said she and the government do not agree" with the policy - which Mr Khan described as "shameful".
And Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "The PM should have said this the first time she was asked, not hours later and only under pressure." "As a nation that, like the USA, values tolerance, diversity and freedom, we cannot just shrug our shoulders and say: 'It's not our problem'."
President Trump's executive order, signed on Friday, halted the entire US refugee programme and also instituted a 90-day travel ban for nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Labour's former deputy leader Harriet Harman told the BBC: "I was horrified when he announced this ban on people from Muslim countries.
A US judge has issued a stay temporarily halting the deportation of visa holders or refugees "caught up" in the aftermath of the ban's imposition. "And three times - once, twice, three times - [Mrs May] said: 'Oh it's nothing to do with me.' Well, it is to do with us, as we all know. And she obviously has to be careful as prime minister - but she needs to be strong as well. So I was really disappointed - I hope she's learnt some lessons."
Meanwhile, an appeal to raise funds for a Glasgow vet caught up in the American flight ban has raised enough to pay for her tickets home just a few hours after being launched.
Hamaseh Tayari was told she could not fly from Costa Rica via New York as she travels on an Iranian passport.
There are also concerns that British athletes such as Sir Mo Farah, who lives in the US but was was born in Somalia, and former Team GB basketball player Luol Deng, who was born in Sudan and now plays with the Los Angeles Lakers, could be affected.There are also concerns that British athletes such as Sir Mo Farah, who lives in the US but was was born in Somalia, and former Team GB basketball player Luol Deng, who was born in Sudan and now plays with the Los Angeles Lakers, could be affected.
'Shoot-from-hip'
Number 10 said it was studying the executive order and would "make representations" to the US government if any UK nationals were affected.Number 10 said it was studying the executive order and would "make representations" to the US government if any UK nationals were affected.
Mrs May visited the US on Friday, followed by a trip to Turkey, and within hours of landing back in the UK, Downing Street released a statement clarifying her position.
"Immigration policy in the United States is a matter for the government of the United States, just the same as immigration policy for this country should be set by our government," said a spokesman.
"But we do not agree with this kind of approach and it is not one we will be taking."
Holidaymaker in 'crazy' situation
A post-graduate veterinary student from Glasgow says she is "upset" and "afraid" after being refused boarding for her flight home to Scotland.
Hamaseh Tayari, who holds an Iranian passport, was due to fly back from a holiday in Costa Rica to New York, and then from New York to Glasgow, but was stopped due to the ban.
The only alternative she and her boyfriend were able to find was a new flight from San Jose to Madrid and then on to London and finally Glasgow.
But that has cost them almost £2,600 which she described as "all our money for the next few months".
Defending her, Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke told the BBC: "The prime minister is not a shoot-from-the-hip type of politician.
"She wants to see the evidence, she wants to understand precisely what the implications are, she had been in a series of very length meetings with President Erdogan and she is someone who wants to see the briefing and understand it and then will respond to that.
"There are times when there's pressure to respond to a news cycle and so on, the important thing is we are saying we disagree with it and we do think it's wrong."