British prime minister Theresa May was quick to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory this morning but other senior UK politicians have reacted with disbelief and in some cases hysterical anger.
I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States. Full statement: https://t.co/7W2feuodUE
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) November 9, 2016
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – who was recently accused by Bill Clinton of being an amateur politician who was plucked off the street – refused to congratulate the president-elect.
Posting a message on Twitter, Corbyn said Trump’s election was “an unmistakable rejection of a political establishment,” adding “After this latest global wake up call, the need for a real alternative to a failed economic and political system could not be clearer.”
Trump's election as US President is a rejection of a failed economic consensus but his answers to the big questions facing America are wrong pic.twitter.com/CbiADRZo0S
— Jeremy Corbyn MP (@jeremycorbyn) November 9, 2016
The First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon – where Trump has significant business interests – did congratulate the tycoon but she encouraged him to “reach out to those who felt marginalised by his campaign’ and quell the ‘real sense of anxiety” he aroused.
But one of her MPs, Carol Monaghan, did not hold back her feelings, equating Trump’s victory with racism:
Xenophobic, racist, sectarian and sexist rhetoric has just been legitimised. We should all be very afraid.
— Carol Monaghan MP (@CMonaghanMP) November 9, 2016
Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, a party which has only eight MPs in parliament, claimed that the “liberal values of moderation, freedom, respect for the rule” were “defeated” in America last night.
One of Farron’s MPs, Tom Brake, went further, calling Trump’s success “the end of the world.”
Brexit, Trump and it's been raining all night, this is the end of the world.
— Tom Brake MP (@thomasbrake) November 9, 2016
London’s mayor Sadiq Khan, who is involved in a long running dispute with Trump, made his unsurprising feelings known before the polls closed last night, saying he was hoping for a Hillary Clinton win:
Big night ahead for our friends in the US. May the best candidate win.. (and I hope she does!) #ElectionDay
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) November 8, 2016
It was left to Boris Johnson, Britain’s foreign secretary, to take a more grown-up approach to the situation. He said he looked forward to working with Trump’s government:
Congratulations to Donald Trump and much looking forward to working with his administration on global stability and prosperity
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 9, 2016
He added:
I believe passionately in the importance of the UK – US relationship and am confident we can take it forward together
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 9, 2016
We know Trump is a backer of the US/UK relationship thriving post-Brexit. Who knows – it might become stronger than ever, leaving Corbyn and his friends having to eat their words.
