Lucy Connolly case 'being monitored' by White House as free speech row with UK simmers

The White House has confirmed it is "monitoring" the , who was jailed over her Southport tweet. The move escalates tensions between the administration and the British government over freedom of expression.

Connolly, 42, the wife of a Conservative councillor, was sentenced to 31 months in prison for inciting racial hatred after posting online following the Southport attacks. , confirming she will remain in custody until at least August. Campaigners have raised the case with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as part of concerns about what they describe as "draconian hate speech laws" across Europe.

A State Department spokesman said: "We can confirm that we are monitoring this matter. The United States supports freedom of expression at home and abroad and remains concerned about infringements on freedom of expression."

The development comes amid growing signs of Donald Trump's willingness to intervene in British affairs, particularly regarding free speech.

On Saturday, it was reported that the US leader had sent officials from the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour to London in March to meet with five British pro-life activists and UK government officials.

They said the mission was to "affirm the importance of freedom of expression in the UK and across Europe."

Trump officials have since expressed concern over Connolly's conviction and the severity of her sentence.

Connolly's post, made hours after Axel Rudakubana murdered three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed club, read: "Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f***ing hotels full of the b******s for all I care, while you're at it, take the treacherous government politicians with them. I feel physically sick knowing what these [Southport] families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist, so be it."

Though deleted within four hours, the post had already garnered over 310,000 views.

Connolly was arrested on August 6 following riots sparked by the attack and was later sentenced.

She had also posted about a separate incident, writing: "I bet my house it was one of these boat invaders."

Last week, the Court of Appeal upheld her sentence, stating it was not "manifestly excessive" and rejecting the claim that she did not fully understand her guilty plea.