In a clear message to US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May said today that it was important for those in positions of responsibility to condemn far-right views and people who propound fascist views should not be equated with those who oppose them.
The US President reverted yesterday to his initial position that both left and right-wing extremists turned violent during a weekend rally by white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Trump has come under fire from both Republicans and Democrats for his muted response to the violence unleashed by white supremacists during the rally in which a woman was killed and 19 others were injured when a car ploughed into a crowd of counter-protesters.
May, when asked about the Charlottesville violence while attending a ceremony in the coastal town of Portsmouth to mark the arrival of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, said, "I see no equivalence between those who propound fascist views and those who oppose them."
"I think it is important for all those in positions of responsibility to condemn far-right views wherever we hear them," the British premier said.
Asked about Trump's response to the incidents, May said, "As I made clear at the weekend following the horrendous scenes that we saw in Charlottesville, I absolutely abhor the racism, the hatred and the violence that we have seen portrayed by these groups."
"The United Kingdom has taken action to ban far-right groups here, we have proscribed certain far-right groups here in the United Kingdom. And there is no equivalence," she said.
Other senior members of May's Cabinet and the Conservative party have also condemned Trump's reaction following the incident in Charlottesville.
Sajid Javid, the UK's Communities Secretary, tweeted, "Neo-Nazis: bad. Anti-Nazis: good. I learned that as a child. It was pretty obvious."
Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, also tweeted, "The President of the United States has just turned his face to the world to defend Nazis, fascists and racists. For shame."
Meanwhile, Vince Cable, the new Liberal Democrat leader, renewed his call for the invitation of a state visit to be rescinded in the light of Trump's remarks.
"Donald Trump has shown he is unable to detach himself from the extreme right and racial supremacists. The fact he remains highly dependent on White House advisers from the extreme right shows he is firmly anchored in this detestable worldview," Cable said.
"It would be completely wrong to have this man visit the UK on a state visit," he said.
Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn has also called for the cancellation of Trump's state visit.
Trump claimed what he called the "alt-left" was equally to blame for the violence and a day later, under pressure from advisers, he finally condemned the far-right for what happened.
The march attracted far-right groups, some chanting white supremacist slogans, as they held a torchlight parade through Charlottesville.
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