Priti Patel: Trump’s remarks ‘led to violence’ in US Capitol

The UK home secretary, Priti Patel, said Donald Trump’s incendiary remarks directly provoked the violence witnessed in the US Capitol as she urged him to condemn it.

“His comments directly led to the violence and so far he has failed to condemn that violence – and that is completely wrong,” she said.

She said the departing president’s statement, in which he said “we love you” to the rioters, and repeated his unproven claims of electoral fraud did “very little to de-escalate the situation”.

“He basically has made a number of comments yesterday that helped to fuel that violence and he didn’t do anything to de-escalate that whatsoever,” she told BBC Breakfast.

She called on the US president to condemn the violence from his supporters who stormed the Capitol.

“There’s no question about that at all. Someone was shot, people have died, this is terrible. Terrible beyond words, frankly, and there’s no justification for it,” she told Sky News.

But pressed on whether the Conservative government had got too close to Trump, she said it was time to look ahead to Joe Biden’s presidency.

“The fact of the matter is, they are now transitioning to a new president, to a president-elect.

“The prime minister has already been in touch with Joe Biden and certainly congratulated him. I think on that basis alone we move forward with one of our greatest allies in the world,” she told Radio 4’s Today programme. “This isn’t about going back and reflecting on personal relationships.”

The fact of the matter is: Donald Trump’s words were associated with violence, his comments directly led to violence. And so far, he has failed to condemn that violence, and that is wrong,” she said.

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Pro-Trump rioters storm US Capitol during vote on Biden election victory – video report

Boris Johnson had earlier called for a “peaceful and orderly transfer of power” after Trump supporters breached barricades and staged an occupation of the home of American democracy in Washington DC. He labelled the scenes “disgraceful”.

The Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, called them “horrendous”.

Scotland’s justice minister called on Patel to deny Trump entry to the UK once he leaves office. Humza Yousaf tweeted: “Once he leaves office if Trump tries to come to UK the home secretary should give serious consideration to denying him entry, she has the power if an applicant’s presence is not conducive to the public good.

“Trump’s default is to stir up racial tension and yesterday he incited a violent mob.”

The president owns two golf courses in Scotland, and on Tuesday the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said the country’s travel ban would apply to Trump amid speculation he was planning an overseas golf trip during Biden’s inauguration.