United Kingdom lawmakers slam Trump, but most oppose banning him

Politicians this evening spent three hours debating whether the Republican presidential candidate should be banned from entering the country after his previous controversial remarks. “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on”, read the December 7 campaign press release. His words are poisonous.”Prime Minister David Cameron has condemned Trumps remarks about Muslims as “divisive, stupid and wrong, ” but he and other senior officials have said they do not think Trump should be banned. The lawmakers opted to debate Trump’s comments after a petition from British citizens passed 560,000 signatures, well above the 100,000 name threshold need for Parliament to consider the topic.

The petition is titled: “Block Donald J Trump from United Kingdom entry” and says Britain has banned many individuals for hate speech in the past and that the same criteria “must be fairly applied to the rich as well as the poor, and the weak as well as powerful”.

The Newport West MP added it would also be a “grave error” for the debate to fuel suspicions that Parliament was acting in an anti-American way.

“I happen to disagree with Donald Trump’s view, but whatever people think surely he should be entitled to have this opinion and to express it, and to give all of those people who have that view a voice in the political process”.

Paul Scully, a member of the Conservative Party, noted that people have been barred from the country for hate speech and inciting violence, “but not for stupidity”.

Labour MP Paul Flynn opened the debate by revealing record numbers support the motion but he did not support a ban. Jack Dromey, Siddiq’s party colleague said Trump shouldn’t be allowed “within 1,000 miles of our shore” because he would embolden the British far right and terrorists.

Trump has threatened that he would pull out from his Scottish investments if he were to be banned from the UK.

Donald Trump doesn’t have many fans in Britain’s Parliament.

She said: “Mr Trump is investing hundreds of millions of pounds into the Scottish economy and its greatest assets”.

Mr Flynn said he believed the best option was to greet Mr Trump with a “welcoming hand of friendship”. Tory MP Victoria Atkins said Trump was “bonkers” and her constituents would brand him a “wazzock” (annoying person). A Home Office minister responded at the end of the debate to echo Cameron’s views and argue that the U.S. is one of Britain’s most important allies and that it is in the country’s interest to have a dialogue with all American presidential candidates. She argued “debating a matter raised as part of the American Presidential election” was a waste of parliamentary time.