Corbyn accuses Trump of interfering in UK politics with Johnson comments

[rooster59]

Corbyn accuses Trump of interfering in UK politics with Johnson comments

 

FILE PHOTO: Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his home in London, Britain, May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - UK Labour opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Saturday U.S. President Donald Trump's comments endorsing Conservative front-runner Boris Johnson as the next prime minister were an "unacceptable interference" in Britain's affairs.

 

In an interview with the Sun newspaper ahead of his three-day state visit to Britain next week, Trump said of the former foreign secretary: "I think Boris would do a very good job. I think he would be excellent."

 

Other Conservative lawmakers in the leadership race had sought his backing, he said, although not environment minister Michael Gove, who has criticised his stance on Iran.

 

Veteran Socialist Corbyn, who has declined an invitation to attend a state banquet with Trump during the visit, said:

"President Trump’s attempt to decide who will be Britain’s next prime minister is an entirely unacceptable interference in our country’s democracy."

 

He added in a statement on Saturday: "The next prime minister should be chosen not by the U.S. president, nor by 100,000 unrepresentative Conservative party members, but by the British people in a general election."

 

After failing three times this year to get parliament to back her plan for leaving the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May said last week she would step down as leader of the governing Conservative Party on June 7 to open the way for a contest to succeed her.

 

So far, 12 Members of Parliament have said they will stand in the leadership election. They will be whittled down by their fellow lawmakers to a final two before the grassroots party members make the final choice.

 

Trump praised Johnson on his last visit to Britain in July 2018, saying that he thought he had the skills needed to be prime minister, shortly after Johnson resigned in protest at May's handling of Brexit.

 

Johnson, who has said he would be prepared to take Britain out of the EU without a deal on Oct. 31, has not commented on Trump's latest endorsement.

 

Corbyn himself has been widely accused of failing to clarify Labour's position on Brexit by not saying outright whether or not it is decisively in favour of a second referendum on Brexit.

 

Trump also praised current foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, also a Conservative leadership candidate, for his pledge to increase British defence spending.

 

He arrives in Britain on Monday for a state visit at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth before attending World War Two commemorations in France and visiting Ireland.

 

It is only the third state visit of a U.S. president to Britain.

 

(Reporting by Stephen Addison; Editing by Clelia Oziel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-02

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[geoffbezoz]

Corbyn could possibly have a point.  However when one serial lier supports another serial lier  then sure as hell you know it is all lies anyway.

[Tug]

Sorry Britain as we all know Donald has no filter nor thought process a classic example of speaking before thinking 

[Ozman52]

I doubt the thought that his comment was inappropriate ever entered his head. Not many do. The concept of people not wanting to hear his opinion would be completely foreign.

[transam]

Think Corbyn should be more worried about Dianne Abbott as his sidekick over Trump's spouts....

[Puchaiyank]

OMG...now accused of obstruction in UK politics...will the Trump criminal activity never end!  ????

[stevenl]

10 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Oh, so Mr Corbyn lives with the imagination that the deranged comment from Mr Trump will make all citizens in the UK vote for Boris.

 

 

2 minutes ago, transam said:

Think Corbyn should be more worried about Dianne Abbott as his sidekick over Trump's spouts....

All nothing to do with Trump sprouting his mouth as usual.

[vogie]

The best thing about all this is Corbyn has a worst history than Trump.

[sammieuk1]

Sure Gerry Adams an the PLO will endorse Corbyn at the next election if he is still feeling left out ????

[Briggsy]

Corbyn is correct on this one of course.

 

Sadly Trump has breached protocol so many times, we have become inured to his rudeness and boorish behaviour.

 

A member of the US Republican Party should tell him this is wrong and he should not do it.

[Kadilo]

Of course he is correct in what he is saying but sadly because of the way he has handled (or not) recent events not many will give a jot about his opinion. 

The constant calling for a General Election rhetoric has worn about as thin as it can, and if suddenly everyone said “OK Jez “ he would probably crap his pants as he’s no chance of winning. 

[wombat]

I'm surprised President Trump hasn't been blamed for the Ebola outbreak in Africa.
 

[newatthis]

23 minutes ago, wombat said:

I'm surprised President Trump hasn't been blamed for the Ebola outbreak in Africa.
 

Well, he's as welcome as an infectious disease.

[jm91]

1 hour ago, Puchaiyank said:

OMG...now accused of obstruction in UK politics...will the Trump criminal activity never end!  ????

The Trump criminal activity will probably never end as he is a criminal. Oh were you trying to being ironic? Hmm...I think you are  being insightful. 

[TTSIssues]

Firstly I doubt Trump backing Boris will help him in any way, maybe even hinder him. Secondly I don’t remember Gorgon Brown calling a general election when Blair stepped down, and lastly, Corbyn is an unelectable fool so why on earth would he want to lose again??

[MRToMRT]

The press are concentrating on one line. Go and read the whole interview - its even worse than this one line! He gives his opinion/interference on more issues and even goes to far as saying that Boris Js support could increase by upto 40% becuase I (Trump) am endorsing him.

 

What a potato head!

[Monomial]

I don't know about this. So much depends on the context of what was being discussed that it is hard to say how inappropriate this was. Certainly, nobody outside the UK should be allowed to actively influence the election, but just stating an opinion? Ultimately it is still up to the UK voters to decide whether Trump's personal opinion means anything or not. Trump didn't actually do anything except provide a factual data point saying he would prefer to work with Boris. Everyone in the UK is still free to ignore that fact.

 

Now, if Trump started a concerted social media campaign about the issue, that would clearly be interference and crossing the line. Or if he said the United States was going to enact some punitive measure if Boris did not win. That is highly inappropriate. But a single statement of opinion when asked about it? I would need to see the context of the interview to understand if it was inappropriate or not.

 

It is a really grey area and I think says more about Corbyn's personal dislike of Trump than anything else.

 

 

[nauseus]

I can't remember but assume that there was not this much anti POTUS activity on here after Obama tried to influence the EU referendum result with his "back of the queue" nonsense?

[evadgib]

2 hours ago, transam said:

Think Corbyn should be more worried about Dianne Abbott as his sidekick over Trump's spouts....

Along with Thornburys rant against Trump that is doing the rounds.

[candide]

29 minutes ago, nauseus said:

I can't remember but assume that there was not this much anti POTUS activity on here after Obama tried to influence the EU referendum result with his "back of the queue" nonsense?

 

Backlash after Barack Obama EU referendum intervention

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36117907

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html

 

[nauseus]

2 minutes ago, candide said:

 

Backlash after Barack Obama EU referendum intervention

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36117907

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3553788/Obama-flies-Brexit-storm-President-faces-furious-backlash-downright-hypocritical-decision-tell-British-voters-stay-EU.html

 

Thanks Candide. But by "on here" I was referring to TV.

[candide]

6 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Thanks Candide. But by "on here" I was referring to TV.

Anyway, I guess it's rather embarrassing to be supported by Trump...;)

[spidermike007]

Trump interferes in everybody's business. It is a wannabe king complex. It is just what he does. It is his profound lack of wisdom, intelligence and foreign policy skill that makes it so annoying and harmful to the US. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, Tug said:

Sorry Britain as we all know Donald has no filter nor thought process a classic example of speaking before thinking 

 

I think Trump is a great believer in foreign interference in other countries' leadership elections...

 

After all, it worked with Putin and Russia helping him get elected as U.S. president.

 

So now he's figuring he'll try the same tack in helping get Johnson elected as UK PM.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

22 minutes ago, candide said:

Anyway, I guess it's rather embarrassing to be supported by Trump...;)

 

Kind of an interesting notion.... I'd like to know...

 

Does a Trump endorsement help or hurt a national politician in the UK these days???

[Mavideol]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"President Trump’s attempt to decide who will be Britain’s next prime minister is an entirely unacceptable interference in our country’s democracy."

he has a point.... Trump could be interfering with UK sovereignty and internal affairs

[transam]

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

 

All nothing to do with Trump sprouting his mouth as usual.

Oh yes it does......????

[blazes]

 

Well, I imagine that Trump's "interference" in the UK's politics will carry as much weight with voters (or those who vote for the Tory leader) as Obama's vicious comment about the UK getting to the back of the queue (as referenced above).

In other words, precisely Sweet FA of weight!

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, candide said:

Anyway, I guess it's rather embarrassing to be supported by Trump...;)

And Obama.

[howbri]

2 hours ago, jm91 said:

The Trump criminal activity will probably never end as he is a criminal. Oh were you trying to being ironic? Hmm...I think you are  being insightful. 

Yeah who cares about lack of evidence. Two years, $40,000,000, 500 interviews! Evidence doesn't matter to the swamp.