Advertisement

  1. National

Rudd: Trump travel ban could be 'propaganda opportunity' for IS

Donald Trump's travel ban is "divisive" and could be exploited as a "propaganda opportunity" by Islamic State terrorists, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has said.

In response, a spokesperson for Number 10 told ITV News: "We have been very clear that we believe this policy is divisive and wrong.

"Daesh will twist any policy from any Government for their own propaganda purposes."

Meanwhile it has been confirmed that MPs will next month debate whether Mr Trump should make a state visit to Britain after a petition calling for the trip to be downgraded gained the support of more than 1.6 million people.

Earlier President Trump fired the acting US Attorney General Sally Yates after she questioned whether his travel ban was "lawful".

View all 23 updates ›

Queen put in 'very difficult position' by Trump invitation

The Queen would host the visit by President Trump. Credit: PA

The Queen has been put in a "very difficult position" by Theresa May's decision to invite Donald Trump for a state visit, a former head of the Foreign Office has warned.

Lord Ricketts, who was permanent secretary at the Foreign Office from 2006 to 2010 before becoming David Cameron's national security adviser, said the offer so early in Mr Trump's presidency was "premature".

In a letter to The Times, he said it was unprecedented for a US president to be given a state visit in their first year in the White House and questioned whether Mr Trump was "specially deserving of this exceptional honour".

"It would have been far wiser to wait to see what sort of president he would turn out to be before advising the Queen to invite him. Now the Queen is put in a very difficult position."

More than one and a half million people have signed a petition against the visit.

  1. Read more
  2. 23 updates
Rudd: Trump travel ban could be 'propaganda opportunity' for IS

More on this story