The very top of the British political establishment has sought to link the murder of Jo Cox MP with the Brexit campaign. Arguing, against logic, and potentially in contempt of court, that the “politics of hate” and a UKIP poster were somehow responsible.
So by their logic, surely David Cameron, Jeremy Corbyn, and their parliamentary colleagues will now take responsibility for the alleged attempted murder of Donald Trump by a British man.
Michael Steven Sandford approached a Las Vegas police officer at a campaign event in an attempt to take his weapon and shoot the Republican presumptive candidate.
The Prime Minister has previously described Mr. Trump as “divisive, stupid and wrong”, but it is really the “tone” (as we keep hearing from the other side of the Brexit debate) of Members of Parliament debating a UK ban on Donald Trump.
If you want to talk “tone” – as my colleague James Delingpole has pointed out – then the fingers of blame must be pointed at MPs from across the British Parliament for putting a target on Mr. Trump’s head.
Consider the words of Dr. Rupa Huq, a Muslim MP: “Does my hon. Friend not agree that the fact that it is Martin Luther King day today makes it even more bizarre that this hate figure is preaching these ridiculous things that we should reject?”
A hate figure? Who wouldn’t feel aggrieved towards a “hate figure”?
“Donald Trump’s words stoke and inflame hate crime,” said another Muslim MP Tulip Siddique. But she hasn’t made any comments about the hate crimes committed against Trump supporters. She must be busy with her chum Mr. Putin.
Dr. Huq added: “Is my hon. Friend aware that people find that individual repellent because he is not only racist but homophobic and misogynistic?”
Wow this guy sounds pretty bad. Almost bad enough for someone with progressive views to “do something about”, right?
And looky here, another Muslim MP, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, said the following: “Donald Trump has provided succour to terrorists and promoted racial hatred on both sides of the Atlantic”.
Succour to terrorists? Promoting racial hatred? Could Mr. Sandford have seen these comments and been convinced that something must be done?
Look at what Paul Scully MP said: “Britain is pretty good at roasting beef. Does the hon. Gentleman not think it would be better to just roast Trump?”
And even the chair of the debate, David Amess, said: “What makes Donald Trump’s presence in our country so dangerous is that in the current febrile climate, ISIS needs Donald Trump and Donald Trump needs ISIS.”
So he’s linked with ISIS now? Surely any good person would want to put him out of his misery then?
Gavin Newlands MP quoted government legislation surrounding someone who causes “hatred which might lead to inter-community violence” He added:
“On that basis and to ensure that we are operating consistently, I see no reason why Trump should be allowed a visa to visit the UK. His racist, bigoted and sexist views are dangerous and divisive. He does not believe that women are equal to men, and in reality I think he believes that no one is equal to the Donald. I have sympathy with the view that because he wants to ban Muslims from entering the United States, we should ban him from the UK.”
Maybe, just maybe, these MPs and their friends who weighed in in favour of this rhetoric demonises Donald Trump bear some responsibilty for this attempted assassination?
Or maybe, much like the murder of Jo Cox, it was a disturbed man using his free agency to do something completely unrelated to the wider political debate.
Either way, the left needs to stop using tragedies for its political gain. It’s disgusting.