Boris Johnson hits out at Labour’s Donald Trump ‘Nazi’ jibe over US ‘Muslim ban’
Foreign Secretary on the defensive as MPs line up to compare President’s border clampdown with the actions of ‘1930s fascists’
BORIS JOHNSON yesterday attacked a Labour assault on Donald Trump’s ‘Muslim travel ban' – saying the US President was no Hitler.
The Foreign Secretary hit back as MPs lined up to compare the President’s border clampdown with the actions of ‘1930s fascists’.
Labour backbencher Mike Gapes branded the PM “Theresa the Appeaser” for failing to condemn Mr Trump while SNP’s Carol Monaghan warned: “The Holocaust didn’t start with the gas chambers.”
It came amid claims Theresa May was informed about what Donald Trump had planned to do BEFORE she left Washington DC on Saturday.
Addressing a packed Commons, Boris Johnson insisted America’s 90-day travel ban was “divisive, discriminatory and wrong”.
And he slammed Labour for trying to “demonise” the US President.
He stormed: “I do draw the line at comparisons that have been made relentlessly between elected government of our most important ally and the cruel and barbaric tyrannies of the 1930s.
“It demeans the horror of the 1930s and trivialises our conversation.”
He added it was Barack Obama who had initially “singled out” the 7 Middle Eastern nations blacklisted by Donald Trump for tighter VISA restrictions.
Tory backbenchers leapt to the Government’s defence amid growing outrage at Donald Trump’s executive order at the border. They pointed out many Israelis were banned from travelling to the Middle East.
But opposition MPs said Theresa May’s Hard Brexit meant Britain was unable to take a tougher line with the US because it needed to strike a bumper trade deal.
And Government insiders admitted they were worried about huge disruption for Muslims from the 7 countries such as Iraq or Syria who live in the UK but don’t have a passport and want to travel to the US.
One told the Sun: “There may be cases where someone gets stopped incorrectly when they should be allowed into the US.
“We will be ready to ensure they can get in and to try and make sure the US honours their commitment.”
An urgent notice issued by the US Embassy said nationals or dual nationals from any of the seven countries would not be able to secure a VISA.
But a UK Government spokesman insisted the guidance had been “cleared by the top team in the White House and they are in charge”.
Boris Johnson yesterday afternoon insisted the Embassy advice had been updated. He told the Commons: “The general principle is that all British passport holders remain welcome to travel to the US.
“We have received assurances from the US Embassy that this executive order will make no difference to any British passport holder, irrespective of their country of birth or whether they hold another passport.”
Foreign Office sources insisted they had achieved a “special carve-out”.