Nigel Farage and Chuka Umunna in explosive row over Donald Trump’s cancelled UK visit
Ex-Ukip leader and leading Brexiteer accused pro-EU Labour MP of being ‘anti-American’ for labelling US president a ‘racist, misogynistic Islamophobe’
NIGEL Farage and Chuka Umunna got into an explosive row this morning over Donald Trump’s cancelled UK visit.
The former Ukip leader and leading Brexiteer accused the pro-EU Labour MP of being “anti-American” for labelling the US president a “racist, misogynistic Islamophobe”.
Mr Trump tweeted this morning to confirm reports overnight that he was set to abandon plans to come and open his country’s new embassy in London next month, citing issues with the building.
But Mr Farage, a pal of his, suggested concerns about protests may have been the real reason for the visit's cancellation.
He told Radio 4’s Today programme: "It's disappointing - he has been to countries all over the world and yet he has not been to the one with whom he is closest."
And he accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of supporting protests, adding: “Maybe those optics he didn't like the look of."
But Mr Umunna said it was "very welcome he is not coming any more", adding: "He runs counter to British values."
The former shadow cabinet minister said: "Trump would be coming to our country after promoting the propaganda of a far-right organisation that hates everything that my community stands for. That’s my issue."
And he brought up the fact the President had re-tweeted messages by Britain First, which has earned him a rebuke from Theresa May.
However, Mr Farage defended his fried, saying he was re-tweeting a US commentator and “didn’t realise what he was doing”.
Instead he turned the tables on Mr Umunna, saying: "The point is you have a total loathing not just for Trump but as with the European project, you are anti-America, I’m pro-America, I’m pro-global Britain.
"He was elected on a ticket and you know what? He’s doing it.
"Unlike you who is about to go against 4 million Leave voters who voted Labour at the last general election."
The Labour MP denied hating Americans, instead saying he “hates racists, hates misogynists and hates Islamaphobes”, accusing Mr Trump of being all three.
It came after the US leader confirmed the Daily Mail’s revelation he would not be heading to the capital, tweeting this morning: "Reason I cancelled my trip to London is that I am not a big fan of the Obama Administration having sold perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for ‘peanuts’, only to build a new one in an off location for $1.2billion dollars. Bad deal. Wanted me to cut the ribbon - NO!”
It was in fact the former president George Bush who approved selling the lease on the Grosvenor Square property and moving to a new site at Nine Elms near Battersea Power Station.