Hillary Clinton praises Queen as a 'remarkable unifier' on UK visit

Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton was the guest speaker at the South Shields Lecture

Hillary Clinton praised the Queen as a remarkable unifier on a trip to the UK.

The former-US presidential runner and secretary of state joined tributes to the "incredibly impressive" monarch, as she spoke at an event in South Shields.

She also told the audience the "future of freedom is at stake", as she addressed gun violence, Donald Trump's re-election bid, and sexist hate.

Mrs Clinton was the guest at the annual South Shields Lecture, organised by the town's former Labour MP David Miliband.

The event was held at Harton Academy on Friday evening in front of a packed crowd.

Mrs Clinton has family links to the north-east of England as her great-grandfather was a coal miner from Stanley in County Durham.

'Quick to laugh'

Amid the UK's Platinum Jubilee celebrations the former first lady paid tribute to the monarch.

Former First Lady Hillary Clinton met the Queen at Buckingham Place in 2000 with her husband President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea

"It is not only what she has done, it is how she has done it," she said.

"She has been a remarkable unifier and symbol for a long time in your country's history.

"In meeting her she is quite funny, quick to laugh or make a quip, she is very smart and she knows a lot. 

"She restrains herself from interfering in government, but she can have a conversation about nearly anything - including classified material about advances in military weaponry that the UK government is considering."

'Defeating Trump difficult'

In a wide-ranging discussion the 74-year-old said it was "almost impossible to convey the horror" felt following a spate of shootings in her home country - including the killing of 19 children and two teachers at a Texas school.

Mrs Clinton said she had "hope that there will be some steps taken" by US lawmakers to address the crisis, which she called a "sickness that is aided and abetted by political opportunists who know there is this hardcore culture surrounding gun sellers and buyers".

Mrs Clinton was interviewed by the town's former MP David Miliband

The former Democratic presidential candidate was asked by Mr Miliband how to defeat her 2016 opponent Donald Trump should he seek a White House return in 2024, the Local Democracy Reporting Service added.

She said it would be "very difficult" and that "a campaign against him needs to have started yesterday and, if not then, at the latest today and tomorrow.

"Whoever runs against him has to have the electoral field in as strong a shape as possible, has to figure out how to deflect and divert attention from the antics and everything being done, and come up with an agenda that will break through to enough people that they will believe that it is too risky to vote for Trump again," she said.

'Glorious Derry Girls'

Mrs Clinton was asked by Labour's Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson what advice she would give to young women who wanted to enter politics.

She replied that you "have to go into it in today's world with your eyes wide open".

"Given the virulence of social media you do have to think about how to handle that, including in some instances how to protect yourself.

Mrs Clinton had dinner at a traditional South Shields fish and chip restaurant

"That is not something I say lightly, and I certainly wish I did not have to say it.

"But there is so much misogyny and nasty comments made about women in the public eye on social media and, sadly, there have been occasions here and in my own country where unbalanced people act on those things."

Mrs Clinton also shared her views on Brexit, particularly in Northern Ireland, saying that it had put the Good Friday Agreement "in peril" and risked a return to violence.

She was also asked about Channel 4 series Derry Girls, which follows a group of friends in 1990s Northern Ireland and featured a cameo from her daughter Chelsea in its season finale.

"I think it is spot on, I think it is glorious," she said.

"It is so funny and so clever and so smart, I am a huge fan."

Mrs Clinton, alongside her husband former US President Bill Clinton, was defeated by Donald Trump in the 2016 US Presidential race

Mrs Clinton closed by telling the crowd that she remained optimistic about the world's future and that being so was necessary as "we are in a struggle for this future we share". 

"The rise of authoritarianism, the blowback on human rights, and women's rights, and gay rights, and everything else where people were feeling a sense of possibility and pursuing their own dreams," she said.

"The real future of freedom, as we think of it, is at stake.

"When I look at the world it is painful to think that our two democracies [the UK and US] are not up to the task, that we cannot figure out how to solve problems, and in my country that we would politicise a disease like Covid and have people in positions of power showing contempt for experts and science and ridiculing the efforts to keep us safe and alive.

"It was incredibly troubling."

Mrs Clinton concluded: "I do remain optimistic, but I am a worrier and a realist and I know we have some tough headwinds."