Theresa May has described Donald Trump’s policy of separating immigrant children from their families as “deeply disturbing” and “wrong”, but defended her decision to receive the US president in Britain next month.



Questioned about the images of children held in cages, and audio of crying toddlers separated from their parents by US border officials, May went further in her criticisms than previously, and indicated she would raise her concerns with Trump.

Following exchanges with Jeremy Corbyn on how the government would fund its planned increase in money for the NHS, the SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, referred to the “deeply distressing audio and images” of the US immigration policy.

He asked: “Is the prime minister still intending to roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump?”

May replied: “On the very important issue that he’s raised, of what we have seen in the United States, the pictures of children being held in what appear to be cages are deeply disturbing. This is wrong. This is not something we agree with. This is not the United Kingdom’s approach.”

Play Video 2:12 Why were families being separated at the southern US border? – video explainer

The prime minister indicated this would be among the issues she would raise with Trump during his brief visit to the UK next month after the Nato summit.

She said: “We have a special and longstanding relationship with the United States and I think it is right there will be a range of issues I will be discussing with President Trump, a range of issues about our shared interests, and I think it’s important that we make sure that when we see the president of the United States here in the United Kingdom we’re able to have those discussions that mean that when we disagree with what they’re doing we say so.”



Pressed by Blackford to be clearer in her criticism, May replied: “I clearly and wholly, unequivocally said that that was wrong.”

The issue was raised again by the Labour MP Gavin Shuker, who mentioned both Trump’s child-separation policy, his praise for Kim Jong-un’s appalling human rights record, and other recent decisions. Shuker asked: “What does this man have to do to have the invitation she has extended revoked?”

May again condemned the immigration policy, but defended her continued ties with the Trump presidency.

“On the wider issue of the president of the United States coming here to the United Kingdom, there are many issues on which members of this house, including his right honourable friend the leader of the opposition, consistently encourage me to raise with the president of the United States. We do that,” she said.

“When we disagree with the United States we tell them so. But we also have some key shared interests with the United States, in the security and defence field and in other areas as well, and it is right that we are able to sit down and discuss those with the president of a country with which we have had a longstanding – and will continue to have a longstanding – special relationship.”



It was also confirmed by the US ambassador to the UK that Trump would meet the Queen at Windsor Castle during his visit. Robert Wood Johnson told Sky News that while plans had not been finalised, they would involve Trump meeting the Queen.

Earlier in PMQs, Corbyn asked May several times which taxes would be raised to fund her promised increase in the NHS budget of £20bn a year by 2023.

Corbyn began: “The prime minister said extra funding for the NHS will come from three sources: Brexit, economic growth and the taxation system. Well, there can be no Brexit dividend before 2022, economic growth is the slowest since 2009. So, which taxes are going up?”

May responded: “Can I be very clear about this – we have set out a long-term plan for the NHS, that is securing the future for the National Health Service. We have set a five-year funding settlement that will be funded.”

In answer to a follow-up question May said: “As I said on Monday my right honourable friend the chancellor will set out the full funding package properly before the spending review.”



