Theresa May finally speaks, says does ‘not agree’ with US ban on refugees

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May does “not agree” with President Donald Trump’s refugee ban and will appeal to the US if the “extreme vetting” affects British citizens, the Downing Street has said.

May on Saturday was criticised for refusing to condemn Trump’s executive order banning refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, the BBC reported.

The order has halted all refugee admissions and has temporarily barred citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen from entering the US. Trump has also banned Syrian refugees indefinitely.

At an earlier news conference in Turkey, May said it was up to the US to decide its own policy.

May’s refusal to openly challenge the ban had prompted criticism from politicians, including Conservative MPs.

Heidi Allen, Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire, tweeted: “Strong leadership means not being afraid to tell someone powerful when they’re wrong.”

Labour Party’s Jeremy Corbyn said the Prime Minister showed “weak failure” in standing up for British values, adding Trump’s order as shocking and appalling.

–IANS