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By Tom Porter
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British Prime Minister Theresa May has criticized President Donald Trump for retweeting messages by a British far-right leader—but will not cancel plans for the president's state visit.
In a statement, 10 Downing Street said: "Britain First seeks to divide communities through their use of hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke divisions.
"They cause anxiety to law-abiding people. British people overwhelmingly reject the prejudiced rhetoric of the far right which is the antithesis of the values that this country represents: decency, tolerance and respect. It is wrong for the president to have done this."
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But when asked whether a planned state visit for Trump in 2018 would be canceled, a 10 Downing Street spokesman said: "The United States is one of our oldest and closest allies. An invitation for a state visit has been extended and accepted. Further details will be announced in due course."
Lawmakers had earlier called for Trump's invitation to be rescinded after he retweeted three videos posted by Jayda Fransen, deputy leader of Britain First.
Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn described the tweets as "abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our society."
Chuka Umunna, a Labour member of Parliament, told Sky News, "I am absolutely astounded that any person in his position holding the office he does should be promoting the propaganda of a far-right British group. I certainly think if we are seen to be in any way as a country endorsing this, I think we are going to be in very troubled waters."
Umunna added: "He is normalizing hatred. I think that takes us down a very, very dangerous road indeed, and you've got to call it out."
His Labour colleague David Lammy, also an MP, tweeted, "Trump sharing Britain First. Let that sink in. The President of the United States is promoting a fascist, racist, extremist hate group whose leaders have been arrested and convicted. He is no ally or friend of ours. @realDonaldTrump you are not welcome in my country and my city."
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who clashed with Trump following June's London Bridge attack, said, "Britain First is a vile, hate-fueled organization whose views should be condemned, not amplified."
Yvette Cooper, chair of the Parliament's Home Affairs Committee, also expressed her shock at the retweets.
"Cdnt have imagined there was anything left Trump could do to shock me. But promoting views of woman convicted of hate crime from far right hate group is appalling. U.K. Gov't must condemn," she tweeted.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended Trump's retweet of the videos Wednesday, telling reporters that "these are real threats we have to talk about." Whether the videos are real or not, Sanders said, "the threats are real—no matter how you look at it."
May invited Trump for a state visit just weeks after he took office. Critics of the president have vowed to hold mass demonstrations on the streets of London to signal their opposition to the president's policies. More than 1 million signed a petition calling for the president to not be extended the honor of addressing Parliament.
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