Theresa May responds to Donald Trump's tweet saying she is 'fully focused on dealing with extremism'

Theresa May has responded to Donald Trump’s online post suggesting she has been distracted from tackling terrorism, by hitting back that she is "fully focussed dealing with extremism".

Downing Street said the Prime Minister would tackle Islamist extremism "head on" after the US President said she should concentrate on sorting out "Radical Islamic Terrorism" in the UK.

It was the latest incident in the growing furore around Mr Trump's promotion of a string of online messages from the far-right extremist group Britain First.

After Ms May said on Wednesday that Mr Trump was "wrong" for promoting the group, Mr Trump tweeted that she should be focussing on terrorism in the UK, adding: "We are doing just fine!"

Ms May's spokesman said: "The overwhelming majority of Muslims in this country are law abiding people who abhor extremism in all its forms.

"The Prime Minister has been clear over a number of years that where Islamist extremism does exist it should be tackled head on.

"We are working hard to do that both at home and internationally including with our US partners. The Prime Minister is fully focused on dealing with extremism."

The spokesman noted that the US is one of the UK's oldest and closest allies and said that an invitation for a state visit to Mr Trump would stand, saying it "has been extended and accepted".

The rift between Ms May and Mr Trump widened when the President took to Twitter after criticism from Downing Street to tell her how she should be doing her job.

He said: ".@Theresa_May, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!"

The furore around the row rippled through the Commons again on Thursday with MP after MP from all parties attacking the President's actions.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said President Trump was "wrong to retweet videos from the far-right group", but she added that intelligence-sharing with the US has "undoubtedly saved British lives".

When fellow Tory Peter Bone MP suggested Mr Trump should stop tweeting altogether, Ms Rudd replied that "many will share his view".

After former Conservative minister Tim Loughton said Twitter should delete the President’s account "as it would any other criticism of the world who peddles such hate crime", said the company’s bosses "would be listening".

Yvette Cooper, the Labour chairwoman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said the Prime Minister must take the same tough approach to the President as she had to Vladimir Putin’s "fake news".

Pointing out Britain First thrived on hate, Ms Cooper said: "The President of the United States has just given it a rocket boost in provoking hate in our communities.

"We cannot simply roll out a red carpet and give a platform to the US president to sow discord in our communities."