Government responds to anti-Trump petition, confirming state visit

To mark the visit, campaigners are planning the biggest protest in British history

 

The government has issued a formal response to the petition to prevent Donald Trump’s state visit , which gathered 1,855,763 signatures.

This is the email sent to signatories:

HM Government believes the President of the United States should be extended the full courtesy of a State Visit. We look forward to welcoming President Trump once dates and arrangements are finalised.

HM Government recognises the strong views expressed by the many signatories of this petition, but does not support this petition.

During her visit to the United States on 27 January 2017, the Prime Minister, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, invited President Trump for a State Visit to the UK later this year. The invitation was accepted. This invitation reflects the importance of the relationship between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. At this stage, final dates have not yet been agreed for the State Visit.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

While parliament will debate the petition next Monday (20 February), this will be little more than a formality.

However, many of those who signed the petition and protested the visit in Downing Street and around the country are now planning further resistance, promising the biggest political protest in British history.

The government is reportedly considering holding a public rally Birmingham rather than London to avoid the protesters. But Birmingham MP Shabana Mahmood and campaigner Owen Jones have warned that demonstrators will follow him there.

 

WATCH: Protesters explain why they’re fighting Trump’s state visit

3 Responses to “Government responds to anti-Trump petition, confirming state visit”

  1. Will

    I always thought that state visits are to show how wonderful the heads of states around the world are.
    Well, they certainly are not. Most of them are the most horrible roll models immaginable to be paraded in front of the next generation. What do we expect the outcome from this visit to be?
    What ever happened to decency?

  2. Michael

    regardless, I do not want that man in my country, embarrassing Our Queen.

  3. Lawrence Hearn

    Trump is a repulsive criminal who should be resisted, just as Obama and his drone wars should be brought to justice for his mass murder of so many children and their families while using gangland tactics in international relations..

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