Theresa May claims she holds Donald Trump's hand to help him down stairs

It follows speculation that the president may have a phobia of stairs

Theresa May has explained why it is that she keeps being photographed holding Donald Trump’s hand.

The prime minister has faced criticism that she is too close to Mr Trump, while it has also spawned speculation that the president has a medical problem that means he dislikes walking down stairs.

But Ms May told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that she simply takes the 72-year-old president’s hand to help him up and down slopes and stairs.

It followed a sometimes difficult official visit from the president to the UK, during which Mr trump criticised Ms May in a newspaper interview and then apologised to her during an awkward press conference.

When the pair arrived to speak to reporters they were once again shown hand-in-hand as they approached their twin podiums.

Asked if she always took his hand because he has a medical problem, Ms May said: “What you notice is that whenever he takes me down a slope or stairs – he did it up the steps at Blenheim Palace – he takes my hand to help in going up the steps.”

Challenged by the BBC presenter as to whether it made her look “submissive” to the president, she answered: “Oh Andrew, come on.

“Are you telling me that you have never said let me [help, to someone].”

Ever since she was first pictured hand in hand with Mr Trump at the White House in early 2017, Ms May has come in for attacks from her critics that she is being too friendly with the president – with Labour MPs often citing it in the Commons.

After that incident of hand-holding, Ms May’s official spokeswoman said: “They were walking along. There was an unseen ramp. He put out his hand. She took it.”

But despite the disapproval, Ms May has repeatedly been shown holding the president’s hand, with Friday the latest moment.

It led to claims that the president suffered from what is commonly called “bathmophobia”, or a fear of stairs and dirty handrails, though the term is not officially recognised.