Petition against Trump’s UK visit hits 1mn

London, Jan 30: A petition calling on the British government to cancel US President Dold Trump’s planned state visit in the wake of his controversial immigration ban has amassed a million sigtures, the media reported. It comes amid global outrage at a ban on people arriving in the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries, that was imposed by the US President on Friday in an executive order.

The British government is compelled to respond to all petitions that receive more than 10,000 sigtures and if a petition reaches 100,000, it must be considered for a debate in Westminster Hall, the Independent reported on Monday.

However, Downing Street stressed that its position has not changed on the US President’s trip. “An invitation has been extended and accepted,” a Number 10 spokesman added.

Citing Trump’s “well documented misogyny and vulgarity”, the petition called for Trump to be allowed into the country, but not invited to meet the Queen.

“Dold Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government,” the petition read, “but he should not be invited to make an official state visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen.”

It further said: “Dold Trump’s well documented misogyny and vulgarity disqualifies him from being received by Her Majesty the Queen or the Prince of Wales. Therefore during the term of his presidency Dold Trump should not be invited to the United Kingdom for an official State Visit.”

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, according to the report, clarified the US policy, claiming that most British citizens will not be affected by Trump’s ban after it emerged it would affect dual tiol citizens.

Trump accepted an invitation to visit Britain later this year, where he is due to be hosted by the Queen. Thousands have protested in cities across the country, with major demonstrations planned in Britain on Monday.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, a former Conservative Cabinet minister, indicated the US President should not be given the honour of a state visit.

“We have to question whether, in Britain, this is something that Britain should be doing for a man who has no respect for women, disdain for minorities, little value for LGBT communities, no compassion for the vulnerable and whose policies are rooted in divisive rhetoric,” the Tory peer said.

She added: “Those who run and govern this country bowing down to a man who holds the views that he holds, values which are not the same as British values, I think is sending out a very wrong sigl.” (IANS)