David Lammy and JD Vance agree about Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s running mate suggested the UK is the “first truly Islamist country” to acquire nuclear weapons after Labour’s election victory.

Mr Trump chose JD Vance, a 39-year-old former venture capitalist and senator from Ohio, as his candidate for vice president just days after he survived a supposed assassination attempt on Saturday. Mr Vance – who once described Mr Trump as an “idiot” and “America’s Hitler” – made these remarks about the UK at the National Conservatism conference in Washington DC last week, which was also attended by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

JD Vance, who called Trump “America’s Hitler” and a “cynical asshole,” and said that any American would have to be an “idiot” to vote for him, has been selected as Trump’s running mate.

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— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) July 15, 2024

Concerns Over JD Vance Selection

Mr Vance’s comments could create tension between the new Labour government and senior members of Mr Trump’s team, should the former president win the election. When asked about the comments this morning, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said she did not “recognise” Mr Vance’s characterisation of the UK under Labour.

Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, she said: “I think he has said quite a few outlandish things in the past as well. Look, I don’t recognise that characterisation. I’m very proud of Labour’s recent election success. We won votes across all different communities, across the whole country. We are focused on governing on behalf of Britain and also working with our international allies. So, I look forward to that meeting, if that is the outcome, but it’s up to the American people to decide.”

In a widely circulated video on social media, Mr Vance told the conference audience: “By the way, I have to criticise the UK, just one more thing. I was talking with a friend recently about one of the big dangers in the world, which of course is nuclear proliferation, and naturally, the Biden administration doesn’t care about it. We were discussing what could be the first truly Islamist country to obtain a nuclear weapon. We considered Iran, maybe Pakistan already kind of counts, and then we concluded it might actually be the UK – since Labour just took over.”

James Murray, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, also told Kay Burley on Breakfast that he did not “understand” the US senator’s comments. “I don’t know what he means by that, to be honest. I don’t really understand those comments”.

When it was suggested that the comments were “alarming”, Mr Murray replied: “Look, it’s for America to decide who they elect in their election. From my perspective, regardless of who is in the White House, we have a very strong relationship between the UK and the US, which is crucial to our security and economic growth.” He added that while “obviously we disagree with those particular comments”, the UK’s relationship with the US “is more important than any individual”.

This follows Sir Keir Starmer’s conversation with Mr Trump on Sunday after the assassination attempt the previous day. It is understood the Prime Minister condemned the violence, expressed his condolences for the victims and their families, and wished Mr Trump and those injured a quick recovery.

Mr Vance’s appearance at the right-wing National Conservatism conference is not the first flashpoint of tension between Labour figures and Mr Trump’s team. In 2018, David Lammy, now the Foreign Secretary, wrote in an article for Time magazine that he believed Mr Trump to be a “woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath” and a “profound threat to the international order”. However, speaking earlier this year, Mr Lammy sought to temper his past remarks about Mr Trump and emphasised the importance of the UK-US relationship. He stated: “The truth is, if I have the privilege of becoming Foreign Secretary, it will be my job to represent the national interests of this country. It doesn’t matter who is in Number 10 – you work with the United States.”

Interestingly, JD Vance appears to have mixed up the UK with the US, not to mention ignoring Russia and France in relation to the size of the muslim population in respective countries. Russia, France and the US all have bigger muslim populations and nuclear weapons. The problem with populism is that it has little or no interest in facts.

Here are the countries in Europe and North America with the largest Muslim populations:

Europe

1. Turkey – Though partially located in Europe, Turkey has a significant Muslim population, the majority of whom are in the Asian part of the country.
2. Russia – Particularly in regions such as Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and the North Caucasus.
3. France – Home to a large Muslim community, primarily from North Africa.
4. Germany – Significant Muslim population, primarily of Turkish origin.
5. United Kingdom – Diverse Muslim population with roots in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
6. Italy – Increasing Muslim population, primarily from North Africa and the Middle East.
7. Netherlands – Home to a diverse Muslim community, including people of Turkish and Moroccan descent.
8. Belgium – Notable Muslim population, mainly of Moroccan and Turkish descent.
9. Spain – Growing Muslim population, with origins in North Africa.
10. Sweden – Increasing Muslim community, primarily from the Middle East and Somalia.

North America

1. United States – Diverse Muslim population from various regions including the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.
2. Canada – Significant and growing Muslim community, with roots in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

These lists are based on available demographic data and population estimates. The Muslim populations in these countries are composed of a mix of immigrants, their descendants, and in some cases, converts to Islam.

Dear Mr Vance, the United States has a larger Muslim population than the United Kingdom.

Estimated Muslim Population:

• United States: Approximately 3.45 million Muslims, making up about 1.1% of the total population (as of 2017 estimates).
• United Kingdom: Approximately 3.3 million Muslims, making up about 4.8% of the total population (as of 2021 estimates).

Moral of the American story: Don’t let the facts get in the way of racism.

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