Donald Trump should “think on” about fuelling far right hate and create a “better and more peaceful world”, Jeremy Corbyn said as the US president met with the prime minister.
Addressing a mass rally against the US president in central London, the Labour leader lambasted Trump, telling him he will defend “our precious NHS” in US-UK trade talks, and his administration has “no answers” to the world’s crises, such as its 65 million refugees, climate change and poverty.
Corbyn, who faced criticism for boycotting the state banquet attended by Trump, he was willing to meet the president “hoping to have that dialogue” about politics but said he was “very disappointed” by the president’s “attack” on London’s muslim mayor Sadiq Khan.
It came as Trump revealed that Corbyn offered to meet but the US president refused as he regarded the Labour leader as a “negative force”.
Looking out at a sea of ‘Dump Trump’ placards on Whitehall, Corbyn thanked everyone for being there, adding: “Look around this crowd. Look at each other. We are young, we are old, we are black, we are white, we are disabled, we’re LGBT.
“We’re the whole wonderful mosaic of diversity and inclusion that we represent on this demonstration here today.
“We are the living embodiment of what a democratic society is about, where people come together not to exploit their differences but to share the joy of learning something from each other and from each other’s experiences, that others may not go through the hardship that so many have gone through to bring about some of the social changes we’ve achieved.”
The leader of the opposition, who has been accused of hostility toward the US, said he would meet Trump, adding: “I hope there can be a conversation. I am absolutely not refusing to meet anyone. I am hoping to have that dialogue to bring about the better and more peaceful world that we all want to live in.”
He added: “But I am very disappointed, part today on the wonderful festival of Eid that our mayor Sadiq Khan has been attacked in the way that he has.
“I am proud that our city has a Muslim mayor, that we can chase down Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, any form of racism within our society, because racism divides, exploitation of minorities divides.
“Exploitation of minorities brings about hatred dislike, disdain and a horrible place for individuals to live in.
“When you have created that sense of hate, when you have destroyed people’s self-esteem by those forms of racism, do you know what? you haven’t built a house, you haven’t built a school, you haven’t trained a nurse, you haven’t defended our natural world, all you have done is create a sense of hate and hatred that goes with it.”
Corbyn, whose own party is under investigation from the Equality and Human Rights Commission over anti-Semitism, also vowed to oppose a Brexit deal that includes “our precious NHS to be taken over by American companies”.
He told the crowd: “We won’t stand for that. We will fight for that with every last breath of our body to defend the principle of a healthcare system as free at the point of need as a human right.”
Then, in a direct message to Trump, Corbyn continued: “So I say to our visitors that have arrived this week: think on please about a world that is one of peace and disarmament, is one of recognising the values of all people, is a world that defeats racism, defeats misogyny, defeats religious hatreds that have been fuelled by the far right in politics in Britain, in Europe and the United States.
“They have no answers, no answers to young people growing up and worried about their future, no answers to communities that have lost their industries, no answers for the people that are desperate in parts of the world to get somewhere to live, no answers to those who are desperate to get the medical help and support that they need, no answers to those going through a mental health crisis of any sort anywhere in the world.”
It came on a day of high drama in London as the divisive president’s motorcade passed Parliament Square, where the baby blimp is flying.
The entire stretch of road towards Number 10 was completely sealed off by dozens of police officers, including several on horseback.
Scores of metal gates have also been set out along Whitehall and police said they would prevent anybody passing until further notice.
A police helicopter also circled overhead as a small crowd, mostly tourists, strained to catch a glimpse of the president.
Some protests shouted expletives as his vehicle passed.