Jeremy Corbyn says he would like to see Donald Trump argue against his Mexican wife over wall plan
Labour leader says his Latino wife and her family had ‘absolute anger’ about President-elect’s pledge to build a wall along America’s southern border
JEREMY Corbyn says he would like to see how Donald Trump would fare in an argument against his wife over plans to build a border wall.
The Labour leader is married to Laura Álvarez, from Mexico, and said she and her family had “absolute anger and outrage” over Trump’s plan to keep Latinos out of the US.
The infamous businessman, who was surprisingly elected as president earlier this week, has called Mexicans “rapists” and “criminals”.
During the campaign he repeatedly pledged to build a wall along America’s southern border to keep migrants out.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show this morning, he said: “I'm looking forward to the conversation between my wife and Donald Trump.
"She is a proud Mexican, she is proud to live here as well, and all of us want to live in a world of tolerance and where we live with each other."
Asked what his wife and her family's reaction was to the 70-year-old's pledge to build a border wall, he said: "Absolute anger and outrage.
"Donald Trump should grow up and recognise the American economy actually depends on migrant labour.
“Last year they had a day without Mexicans and they certainly noticed it.”
He added: "I think the treatment of Mexico by the United States just as the absurd and abusive language towards Muslims has to be challenged and should be challenged."
Corbyn also said he understood why voters in the Midwest backed the controversial businessman after being economically “left behind” for many years and how their concerns were similar to those of Brexit voters.
He said it was “time to move on from New Labour” and “free market liberal economic thinking”.
Asked if he thought left-wing senator Bernie Sanders -who lost to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries to be their party's leader - could have beaten Trump, he said: "Yes.
"I think he probably could have won."
However, asked by host Andrew Marr what he made of the Conservative Party's double-digit lead in the polls over his own party, he said there were signs on the ground showing Labour's progress.
He pointed to the London borough of Wandsworth - where a council by-election is being held soon - as proof of his party's improvement.
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