In contrast Mrs May said on Twitter: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlottesville. The UK stands with the US against racism, hatred and violence."

On Saturday a car ploughed into anti-racist activists protesting against a rally of white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Virginia, killing a woman pedestrian and leaving 19 people injured.

The attack in the town of Charlottesville followed violent clashes between the two sides earlier in the day, which had forced the state’s governor to declare a state of emergency and the mayor to tell protesters to go home.