Boris Johnson to face grilling by MPs over the UK’s response to Donald Trump’s ‘Muslim travel ban’ amid growing protests
BORIS Johnson is set to face a grilling over the UK’s response to Donald Trump’s controversial Muslim travel ban amid growing global protest.
The Foreign Secretary managed to secure an exemption for dual UK citizens after talks with the President’s advisers yesterday.
But this has failed to quell the anger over the policy, which prevents travellers from one of seven mainly-Muslim counties – along with all refugees – from entering America temporarily.
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.
And a petition calling for the US President to be prevented from coming to Britain for a state visit has now hit a million signatures, saying it would “cause embarrassment” to the Queen.
But Downing Street have resisted the calls to rescind the invitation, saying the position had not changed, adding: "An invitation has been extended and accepted."
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After initially refusing to condemn the policy, Theresa May put out a statement saying she did “not agree” with the ban, and tasked Mr Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd with confronting their American counterparts over it.
After talks with the president’s senior adviser Jared Kushner and chief strategist Stephen Bannon the Foreign Office said UK passport-holders would not be denied entry to America.
Dual nationals travelling back from the countries on the list – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - might still have to undergo extra checks however.
Mr Johnson, who earlier branded the policy as "divisive and wrong", and criticised the decision to "stigmatise" people based on their nationality, confirmed he would be speaking in the House of Commons today.
He told reporters as he left his home this morning he would appear in the chamber this afternoon.
There could also be an emergency debate on the subject, after Ed Miliband said he had applied for one alongside Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi.
The former Labour leader tweeted: “We think it essential the House of Commons has proper chance immediately to debate and send out united message against this abhorrent policy.”
The furore erupted over how the travel ban affected UK citizens came after Mr Zahawi said he was instructed by his lawyers he could not enter America.
The Iraqi-born politician said he felt “discriminated against” by the “demeaning and sad” rules.
Olympic hero Sir Mo Farah was also potentially affected, and hit out at Mr Trump – saying the UK had made him a knight, while the President had made him “an alien”.