Posted on 02/06/2017 12:41:25 PM PST by Pinkbell
LONDON — House of Commons Speaker John Bercow has announced that he intends to block US President Donald Trump from addressing Parliament when Trump visits the UK later this year.
It is customary for visiting presidents to address MPs and members of the House of Lords in Westminster Hall when making state visits to Britain.
As speaker of the House of Commons, however, Bercow is one of three people who has the authority to block visiting figures from doing this.
The speaker said on Monday afternoon that addressing Parliament was an "earned honour" and not an invitation that came automatically with a state visit.
He said:
"What I will say is this. An address by a foreign leader to both Houses of Parliament is not an automatic right. It is an earned honour. Moreover, there are many precedents for state visits to take place to our country which do not include an address to both Houses of Parliament. That's the first point.
"In relation to Westminster Hall, there are three key holders to Westminster Hall: the speaker of the House of Commons, the speaker of the House of Lords and the lord great chamberlain. Ordinarily we are able to work by consensus and the hall would be used for a purpose such as an address or another purpose by agreement of the three key holders.
"I must say to the honourable gentleman, to all who signed his early day motion and to others with strong views about this matter on either side of the argument, that before the imposition of the migrant ban I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump I am even more strongly opposed to an address...
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted shortly after the speech: "Well said John Bercow. We must stand up for our country's values. Trump's State Visit should not go ahead."
Corbyn's Labour colleague Harriet Harman tweeted saying it was a "proud moment" for the House of Commons. In a statement, Liberal Democrat party leader leader Tim Farron said: "Trump should be under no illusion. We are snubbing him."
Farron actually said:
"Speaking within Parliament is a rare honour, the highest honour we can offer. In the past we have hosted speeches from leaders in equality, justice and human rights from Mandela to Obama to Aung San Suu Kyi. Trump is not fit to shine their shoes.
Obama? LOL!
Not surprised.
Well you Brits don’t call us when your ass is in a sling well call it even
They’re jealous and it shows. Just wait when they need him.
I don’t know who Aung San Suu Kyi is, but Mandela and Obama are scoundrels.
Maybe the U.K. Needs a polite but firm spanking from the us
My Grandfather was a Beefeater and went to school with Churchill.
Screw this MP!
Didn’t realize they sucked up this much to the American socialists. I probably should have.
Not surprised either. I wonder if this John Bercow has some skeletons in his closet that the ruling elite know about. AND if there is anything to know, they do know.
Fine. Expel the British ambassador, withdraw from whatever trade talks are ongoing and begin withdrawing troops and tanks from Poland and the Baltics.
Well how about just skipping this visit entirely?
Perhaps cancel the trip. They are now Londonistan. Sadly insane self destruction of countries by the left and Islam.
I’d return the Churchhill Bust.
Why bother even going when they openly applaud and support a snub of him? You know what they say about pay back....
the parliamentarian speaks this rubbish WHILE HIS OWN COUNTRY IS SOLD OUT TO THE ISLAMONAZI INVASION with big parts of some UK major cities and university campuses almost off limits to normal Brits
Londonistan is sick and so is much of USA (just that we’re bigger so have a little bit more time buffer to deport, repatriate, return the Islamics that Obama snuck into our communities)
Yeah, it’s an earned honor, like the Nobel Peace Prize...
I bet he would have no problem at all with Abbas speaking.............
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