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| Theresa May pressed on Trump's 'sexism' as US trade talks confirmed | Theresa May pressed on Trump's 'sexism' as US trade talks confirmed |
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| Theresa May has confirmed she will travel to meet Donald Trump for talks about trade and fighting terrorism, but would not be drawn on suggestions she should raise his “unacceptable” comments about women. | Theresa May has confirmed she will travel to meet Donald Trump for talks about trade and fighting terrorism, but would not be drawn on suggestions she should raise his “unacceptable” comments about women. |
| The prime minister was repeatedly pressed about whether she would question the US president on Friday about sexism after up to 2 million people joined women’s marches around the world on Saturday to protest against him. More than 80,000 people gathered in London. | |
| However, she insisted that being a female prime minister and the first foreign leader to meet Trump since his inauguration would be the “biggest statement” she can make about the role of women in the world. | However, she insisted that being a female prime minister and the first foreign leader to meet Trump since his inauguration would be the “biggest statement” she can make about the role of women in the world. |
| May said she had previously expressed concerns about some of his comments – such as the video of Trump talking about grabbing women “by the pussy” – and said the special relationship meant she could raise anything she found unacceptable. But she avoided saying she would make a point of raising women’s rights. | May said she had previously expressed concerns about some of his comments – such as the video of Trump talking about grabbing women “by the pussy” – and said the special relationship meant she could raise anything she found unacceptable. But she avoided saying she would make a point of raising women’s rights. |
| “I have already said that some of the comments that Donald Trump has made in relation to women are unacceptable. Some of those he himself has apologised for,” she said. “When I sit down, I think the biggest statement that will be made about the role of women is the fact that I will be there as a female prime minister, prime minister of the UK, directly taking to him about the interests that we share.” | “I have already said that some of the comments that Donald Trump has made in relation to women are unacceptable. Some of those he himself has apologised for,” she said. “When I sit down, I think the biggest statement that will be made about the role of women is the fact that I will be there as a female prime minister, prime minister of the UK, directly taking to him about the interests that we share.” |
| She highlighted what she called her track record in defending the interests of women while home secretary, including moves to tackle modern slavery and domestic violence. | She highlighted what she called her track record in defending the interests of women while home secretary, including moves to tackle modern slavery and domestic violence. |
| She said she was proud to be the second female UK prime minister, saying: “I will be talking to Donald Trump about the issues that we share – about how we can build on the special relationship. It’s the special relationship that also enables us to say when we do find things unacceptable ... Whenever there is something that I find unacceptable I will say that to Donald Trump.” | She said she was proud to be the second female UK prime minister, saying: “I will be talking to Donald Trump about the issues that we share – about how we can build on the special relationship. It’s the special relationship that also enables us to say when we do find things unacceptable ... Whenever there is something that I find unacceptable I will say that to Donald Trump.” |
| The prime minister said she hoped to discuss the possible future trading arrangements, defeating terrorism and the conflict in Syria. | The prime minister said she hoped to discuss the possible future trading arrangements, defeating terrorism and the conflict in Syria. |
| May is expected to fly out to Washington towards the end of the week and hold talks with Trump on Friday. In return, Trump is likely to come to the UK for a state visit later this year, although the Queen has not yet extended a formal invitation. | May is expected to fly out to Washington towards the end of the week and hold talks with Trump on Friday. In return, Trump is likely to come to the UK for a state visit later this year, although the Queen has not yet extended a formal invitation. |
| May said she would “look forward to welcoming President Trump some time this year if that is possible”. | May said she would “look forward to welcoming President Trump some time this year if that is possible”. |
| Downing Street has been attempting to build diplomatic relations with Trump after a rocky start when he expressed a desire to see former Ukip leader Nigel Farage become the British ambassador to Washington. | Downing Street has been attempting to build diplomatic relations with Trump after a rocky start when he expressed a desire to see former Ukip leader Nigel Farage become the British ambassador to Washington. |
| The prime minister has been careful not to be too critical of Trump, although a number of other senior Conservatives have shown no such restraint. George Freeman, the head of the prime minister’s policy board, tweeted that the inauguration speech was “unusually and deliberately divisive and confrontational”. | The prime minister has been careful not to be too critical of Trump, although a number of other senior Conservatives have shown no such restraint. George Freeman, the head of the prime minister’s policy board, tweeted that the inauguration speech was “unusually and deliberately divisive and confrontational”. |
| Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, also warned May that she needed to be careful about striking a trade deal with Trump and urged her to challenge his misogyny and comments about Muslims. | |
| He told Sky’s Ridge on Sunday: “There were no signs of any special relationship in Donald Trump’s inauguration speech. It was quite the opposite. It was America first, America only, America inward-looking. I would hope when she meets Donald Trump she will in no uncertain terms tell him his misogyny during the election campaign, the way in which he described Muslim people and others of different faiths, the way in which he proposes to build a wall between his country and Mexico, is simply not acceptable. | He told Sky’s Ridge on Sunday: “There were no signs of any special relationship in Donald Trump’s inauguration speech. It was quite the opposite. It was America first, America only, America inward-looking. I would hope when she meets Donald Trump she will in no uncertain terms tell him his misogyny during the election campaign, the way in which he described Muslim people and others of different faiths, the way in which he proposes to build a wall between his country and Mexico, is simply not acceptable. |
| “The idea that Donald Trump will suddenly roll over and offer a trade deal with Britain, which doesn’t have strings attached like investor protection, where American companies can come in and run parts of our NHS and be protected in doing so … I think she needs to be extremely careful.” | |
| Asked about Trump’s inaugural speech, May said the US president had a very clear message of putting America first just like all governments work for the interests of their own people. “If you think about it, any leader, any government, as we do here in the United Kingdom when we look at any issue, we ensure that we’re putting the UK’s interests and the interests of British people first,” she said. | Asked about Trump’s inaugural speech, May said the US president had a very clear message of putting America first just like all governments work for the interests of their own people. “If you think about it, any leader, any government, as we do here in the United Kingdom when we look at any issue, we ensure that we’re putting the UK’s interests and the interests of British people first,” she said. |
| May also insisted Trump was committed to Nato despite his comments suggesting he thought it was obsolete. The pair could agree a statement at the end of the week emphasising their commitment to spending at least 2% of GDP on defence and urging other Nato countries to match them. | May also insisted Trump was committed to Nato despite his comments suggesting he thought it was obsolete. The pair could agree a statement at the end of the week emphasising their commitment to spending at least 2% of GDP on defence and urging other Nato countries to match them. |
| “I’ve spoken to him about Nato. Nato is very important, Nato has been the bulwark of our security here in Europe and we work together in Nato,” she said. “We’ve both made the point before about contributions being made by countries, the United Kingdom is spending 2% of its GDP on defence, I believe that’s important.” | “I’ve spoken to him about Nato. Nato is very important, Nato has been the bulwark of our security here in Europe and we work together in Nato,” she said. “We’ve both made the point before about contributions being made by countries, the United Kingdom is spending 2% of its GDP on defence, I believe that’s important.” |
| She added: “What is important is that we recognise the value of Nato, which he does, the value of Nato as an organisation that is helping us to defend Europe and defend the interests of all of those allies who are in Nato.” | She added: “What is important is that we recognise the value of Nato, which he does, the value of Nato as an organisation that is helping us to defend Europe and defend the interests of all of those allies who are in Nato.” |