Courtesy of HuffPo:
A top-ranking British lawmaker vowed on Monday to block President Donald Trump from speaking before the U.K. Parliament in the historic Westminster Hall, citing that body’s opposition to racism and sexism and its support for equality and an independent judiciary.
In a blistering statement before the House of Commons, Speaker John Bercow said he was “strongly opposed” to Trump addressing Parliament during an upcoming state visit to the U.K.
“I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery,” Bercow said. While British lawmakers value their country’s relationship with the United States, he said, “I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons.”
He would not have backed inviting Trump to address Parliament anyway, Bercow said, but the president’s recent imposition of an anti-Muslim ban made him “even more strongly opposed” to the idea.
“An address by a foreign leader to both houses of Parliament is not an automatic right. It is an earned honor,” Bercow said.
Those words were met with applause by the other members of Parliament.
It should be pointed out that President Obama gave a speech to the British Parliament in 2011 that was VERY well received.
But of course he was an inspirational leader, and not an orange tinted reality show buffoon who tricked and lied his way into office.
Source http://ift.tt/2kDAvoe
A top-ranking British lawmaker vowed on Monday to block President Donald Trump from speaking before the U.K. Parliament in the historic Westminster Hall, citing that body’s opposition to racism and sexism and its support for equality and an independent judiciary.
In a blistering statement before the House of Commons, Speaker John Bercow said he was “strongly opposed” to Trump addressing Parliament during an upcoming state visit to the U.K.
“I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery,” Bercow said. While British lawmakers value their country’s relationship with the United States, he said, “I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons.”
He would not have backed inviting Trump to address Parliament anyway, Bercow said, but the president’s recent imposition of an anti-Muslim ban made him “even more strongly opposed” to the idea.
“An address by a foreign leader to both houses of Parliament is not an automatic right. It is an earned honor,” Bercow said.
Those words were met with applause by the other members of Parliament.
It should be pointed out that President Obama gave a speech to the British Parliament in 2011 that was VERY well received.
But of course he was an inspirational leader, and not an orange tinted reality show buffoon who tricked and lied his way into office.
Source http://ift.tt/2kDAvoe
