UK Under Pressure to Cancel Trump State Visit
Local Editor
More than one million people signed a petition Monday demanding Britain cancel plans for a state visit by US President Donald Trump following his ban on travelers from mainly Muslim countries.
With Prime Minister Theresa May under growing pressure over her ties to Trump, opposition MPs and members of her own Conservative party also urged ministers to reconsider the visit later this year, which would see Trump honored by parliament and Queen Elizabeth II.
But a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "We've extended the invitation. It's been accepted."
May announced the state visit during talks with Trump at the White House Friday, intended to reaffirm the "special relationship" and boost trade ties after Britain leaves the European Union.
But her closeness to the erratic billionaire drew fire at home, particularly when she initially failed to condemn his ban on refugees and citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries.
A petition calling for the state visit to be cancelled because his "well-documented misogyny and vulgarity disqualifies him" from meeting the queen passed one million signatures Monday morning.
Set up several months ago, the number of signatories surged since Trump signed his executive order Friday -- a move that triggered global protests, with more expected in Britain later Monday.
"You are not welcome here, Mr. President," headlined the Daily Mirror tabloid.
Opposition Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, the smaller Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party have all called for the state visit to be cancelled, as have some Tories.
Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston said Trump should not be invited to address lawmakers as Barack Obama did in parliament's Westminster Hall during his state visit in 2011.
Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said the visit could not go ahead "while a cruel and divisive policy which discriminates against citizens of the host nation is in place".
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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