Theresa May criticised for wishing Donald Trump ‘good luck’ in tomorrow’s US Presidential showdown with Hillary Clinton
As the race for the White House nears its end No10 said 'I think the Prime Minister would wish them both good luck'
THERESA May has been criticised for wishing Donald Trump good luck in tomorrow’s US Presidential showdown with Hillary Clinton.
As race for the White House draws to a close a No10 spokesman said on Monday morning “I think the Prime Minister would wish them both good luck.”
When probed on whether the PM approved of the controversial real estate mogul, Downing Street would only say: “The outcome of the presidential election is a matter for voters in America, of course.
"We will work with whoever is the next President of the United States.”
The change in tone came despite Mrs May launching a withering attack on the Republican hopeful late last year.
She said in December: "I think we all agree that the comments Donald Trump made in relation to Muslims were divisive, unhelpful and wrong.”
At the weekend Mrs May also issued a veiled attack on the controversial businessman, when asked if she objected to Brits burning effigies of the property mogul on bonfires.
She told travelling reporters on her trip to India: “I take a simple view about the way I like to see campaigns being conducted.
“I like them to be conducted in a calm and measured way with proper consideration of the issues.”
Last year 580,000 Brits signed a petition to ban Donald Trump from coming to the UK after he called for a total ban on Muslims entering the US until IS are defeated.
The outpouring of anger triggered a Commons debate on the matter.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron hit back at the message for the Republican, saying “Donald Trump is not just mad and bad but he’s also dangerous.
“Why would you wish him luck? I have never seen anyone so unworthy of the office of the Presidency in history.
“He is a nasty misogynist and woefully under prepared for the immense responsibility that comes with sitting in the Oval Office.
“I am worried that millions of people will vote for him this week. The party of Abraham Lincoln is now the party of Donald Trump.”
As polls have tightened across the pond, there has been a behind the scenes diplomatic reach out by the Foreign Office to Mr Trump's advisers.
Americans go the polls tomorrow in one if the most high-profile Presidential ballots in recent memory.
Mr Trump has accused the FBI of impropriety for declaring that his rival Ms Clinton should not face criminal charges.
The candidates are entering their final full day of campaigning after FBI director James Comey announced the Democratic hopeful was in the clear over her handling of classified information while US secretary of state.