Minister defends British PM's criticism of U.S. president over far-right group videos

LONDON, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- British Home Secretary Amber Rudd on Thursday said that the British government would not tolerate any groups that spread hate by demonizing other faiths or ethnicities.

She also repeated Downing Street's condemnation of U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he was wrong to retweet videos posted by far-right group Britain First.

At an urgent debate on the issue in the House of Commons, the home secretary told MPs that Trump was wrong to retweet propaganda from Britain First, but told his critics to remember the "bigger picture" of Britain's close relationship with the United States.

The meeting came following a rare clash between the two allies following the controversial retweet by the U.S. president.

The home secretary was giving a statement in response to a question in the House of Commons tabled by Labour backbencher Stephen Doughty, about "the activities of Britain First, online hate speech and the sharing of inflammatory content online by the president of the United States Donald Trump."

Rudd reiterated Wednesday's comments from Downing Street, saying: "We have been clear: President Donald Trump was wrong to retweet videos posted by far-right group Britain First."

But she refused to agree with several MPs' demands that the planned state visit to Britain by the U.S. president be formally cancelled.

"As home secretary I can tell the house that the importance of the relationship between our countries, the unparalleled sharing of intelligence between our countries: it has undoubtedly saved British lives," Rudd said. "That is the bigger picture here and I would urge people to remember that."

In Westminster, MPs lined up to condemn the president's behavior, and urged the British government to formally cancel the invitation of a state visit made by British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Observers here said that the Trump's Britain visit is not yet to be cancelled, but it would not take place very soon.

British ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, has conveyed the British government's concerns to the White House over Trump's promotion on twitter of material created by far right group Britain First, the Guardian newspaper reported Thursday.

May condemned the U.S. president's controversial decision on Wednesday to share videos tweeted by the deputy leader of Britain First and is expected to address the issue again in a speech in the Middle East on Thursday. Enditem