UK ban on Donald Trump: MPs start debate
British legislators will hold a debate on Monday on a petition signed by more than half a million people calling for US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to be banned from Britain after he said Muslims should not be allowed to enter the United States.
Last month, Mr Trump provoked controversy with his comments that Muslims should be banned from entering the United States, after 14 people died in a shooting spree in California by two Muslims whom the FBI said had been radicalised.
The British government responds to all petitions that gain more than 10,000 signatures and topics are considered for parliamentary debate if they reach 100,000.
The debate, which was starting at around 1630 GMT, will not be followed by a vote. Only interior minister Theresa May can issue an order banning entry into Britain and Prime Minister David Cameron has said that while Mr Trump’s comments were divisive, he does not favor barring him.
Mr Trump has threatened to cancel over $1 billion of planned investments in golf courses in Scotland if he is banned.
Muslim Labour MP Tulip Siddiq said that she will “tear to shreds” Mr Trump's reputation in a three-hour Commons debate.
“What I will be doing today is asking that Theresa May exercise constancy in her approach to people who preach hatred,” Scottish National Party legislator Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, who is in favour of a ban, told BBC Radio on Monday.