Sadiq Khan says Londoners won’t support a state visit for Donald Trump as 250k sign petition against it
Mayor of London warns that people from the capital won't support "rolling out the red carpet" for the new US President
SADIQ Khan has warned that Londoners would not support "rolling out the red carpet" for Donald Trump after his controversial ban on visitors from seven mainly Muslim states.
The London Mayor said today that the UK Government should withdraw its offer for a state visit to the new US President until he lifts his ban.
A petition against Mr Trump's state visit reached one million signatures earlier today - and around a quarter of the names on it were from London.
One in 20 people in Jeremy Corbyn's Islington constituency had signed it. President Trump has said the ban was "going well with few problems" and his plans would "make America safe again".
The London Mayor said President Trump's ban was "shameful and cruel" and would affect millions around the world.
He feared the policy would "make both the US and Britain less safe in the long run" and would play "straight into the evil hands of Islamic State" by proving that the West was the "enemy".
Mr Khan said: "We in Britain have an obligation and a responsibility to make crystal clear to President Trump that this ban is a mistake — and to urge him to put it right."
Yesterday the former Tooting MP condemned the President's actions - which banned refugees coming from a number of Middle Eastern countries - including war-torn Syria.
But No 10 have insisted the state visit WILL still go ahead despite the public outcry.
A spokesperson said the Prime Minister extended the invitation on behalf of the Queen and “we look forward to hosting the President later this year”.
There was still confusion this afternoon about the full impact of the ban, and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is set to face a grilling over the UK's response in the Commons today.
He managed to secure an exemption for dual UK citizens after talks with the President's team yesterday.
But this was contradicted by advice from the US embassy in London, which recommended that dual citizens desist from booking flights to America.
Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP have all tabled motions calling for Mr Johnson to explain his actions in response to the executive order signed by Mr Trump over the weekend.
It has provoked anger across America, with huge protests in many major cities, and similar demonstrations are now planned for the UK tonight – including one outside Downing Street.