The Andrew Marr Show
In what must have been a very late booking, Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi appeared on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show this morning to discuss Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
The Iraqi-born MP for Stratford-on-Avon is one of millions now banned from traveling to the USA, and told Marr he feels “discriminated against.” He also warned Trump that the measures – including banning all Syrian refugees indefinitely and nationals of seven predominantly Muslim states for 90 days – plays into the hands of Daesh.
However, he defended Theresa May’s initial reluctance to criticise the ban, saying she was being “cautious” while details of the policy were revealed.
Former Labour interim leader Harriet Harman, who was on the show giving her memoirs a plug, described Trump as “misogynist” and “xenophobic”.
She was “dismayed” to see Theresa May holding the US President’s hand and called for her to be “strong” in standing up to Trump. She also did an impression of May dodging questions about the ban at a press conference in Turkey.
You can tell the Government is on the ropes when it uncorks the Gauke – that’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke, of course. He was the man frequently deployed by George Osborne whenever the Chancellor was in a sticky situation. It seems Gauke has been promoted, as he is now out spinning for the Prime Minister. Referring to Trump’s new immigration rules, Gauke confirmed the Government would be making “representations where British nationals have been caught up in this.”
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron appeared on the show to claim Theresa May did not have a mandate for a “hard Brexit”.
Peston on Sunday
The main guest on Peston today was Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. The Islington North MP was unequivocal in his condemnation of Trump, and appears to have caught the zeitgeist by calling for the US President’s state visit to the UK to be cancelled until the refugee and Muslim ban is axed.
He also discussed Labour’s various contortions over Brexit, and confirmed that any member of the Shadow Cabinet who did not follow the party line and back the Government’s Article 50 Bill would have to quit.
Sophy Ridge on Sunday
Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, told Sophy Ridge that Trump’s immigration policy was “ludicrous”. He also described the measures as “a mark of an immature administration.”
Labour MP Dan Jarvis is often touted as a future Labour leader, and in an interview with Ridge the Barnsley Central MP warned his party risked being seen as not being in touch with people’s concerns about immigration.
Jarvis also backed his leader over imposing a three-line whip on the Article 50 vote.
There was an interview with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who said that he has heard talk in Europe of “punishing” the UK for Brexit. This is because if the “divorce is too soft” other countries may also seek to leave the organisation. He also warned the Brexit process could take longer than the two years allowed under the Article 50 provision.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron and the SNP’s Alex Salmon also took the opportunity to condemn Theresa May for not speaking out against Trump’s immigration policies.
Sunday Politics
Conservative MP Heidi Allen took to Twitter on Saturday night to criticise Theresa May for not standing up to Trump over the immigration policy. She appeared on Sunday Politics today to elaborate further, and told Andrew Neil: “As with any new relationship, it’s about testing the boundaries isn’t it? And they clearly had got on very well. So she should have felt braver in my opinion to say something there and then.”
Also on the show was former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who was the only person on the morning shows to agree with Trump’s policy of banning Syrian refugees from entering the US.