Trump says immigration has been bad for Europe - May DISAGREES

THERESA May has refused to back Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric at their fraught press conference after talks at Chequers.   

The US President said immigration was a “very negative” thing for Europe and agreed when asked if it had damaged the cultural fabric of the continent.

Mr Trump told the press conference the migrant crisis had been “tough for Europe”.
He said: "I think it has been very bad for Europe. I think that what has happened is very tough. It's a very tough situation.

"I mean, you see the same terror attacks that I do. We see them a lot.

"I just think it's changing the culture. It's a very negative thing for Europe. I think it's very negative."
Mr Trump insisted he had a great relationship with Angela Merkel but said immigration had hurt Germany.

He said: “It is not politically correct to say so, but I will say it. It is a very sad situation.
“It is not good for Europe and not good for the US either."

He also told the press conference he predicted people would vote for Brexit because of their concerns over immigration.

He said: ”The reason I felt it was going to happen was because of immigration.

“One of the reasons I got elected was because of immigration, I felt that Brexit had the upper hand, and most people didn't agree with me.

"I said I thought it was going to happen and it did happen."

The President went on the claim the US immigration laws are so weak he would not even call them laws.

Mrs May responded by saying the UK had a proud history of accepting immigrants.

She said: “The UK has a proud history of welcoming people who are fleeing persecution to our country.

“We have a proud history of welcoming people who want to come to our country to contribute to our economy and contribute to our society.

“And over the years immigration has been good for the UK. It’s brought people from different backgrounds and with different outlooks to the UK and that has made a positive contribution to our society.

“But what is important is that we have control of our borders and that we have a set of rules that allow us to decide who comes into our country.”

Mr Trump had earlier sparked controversy when he linked European immigration to crime and accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of “doing a very bad job on terrorism”.

He said: ”You have a mayor who has done a terrible job in London. He has done a terrible job.

"Take a look at the terrorism that is taking place. Look at what is going on in London. I think he has done a very bad job on terrorism."  

Tottenham MP Mr Lammy said the president knows full well that Mr Khan is not responsible for the attacks.

"I will call it like it is. The real reason Trump blames my friend Sadiq Khan for the terror attacks last year is simple.

"He hates that London chose a Muslim mayor. The President is racist. He does not deserve to meet our Queen today."

Shadow equalities secretary Dawn Butler said: "Donald Trump's comments about Sadiq Khan are as offensive as they are wrong.

"Theresa May should condemn Trump for this ugly dog-whistle politics, and apologise for Zac Goldsmith's disgraceful London mayoral campaign, which these remarks echo."    

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