MPs to debate cancelling Donald Trump state visit on February 20
Parliament will also debate a second petition calling for the US President's visit to go ahead
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Your support makes all the difference.MPs will debate whether Donald Trump’s state visit should be cancelled.
The debate comes after a petition calling for the US President’s visit to be downgraded nears 1.7 million signatures.
On the same day, MPs will also be forced to discuss a second petition calling for Mr Trump’s state visit to go ahead after it was signed by more than 100,000 people.
It comes amid global outrage at a ban on people travelling to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries was imposed by Mr Trump in an executive order on Friday.
The restrictions sparked mass protests across cities in Britain on Monday.
But Downing Street has already confirmed it has not changed its position on the billionaire’s UK visit. “An invitation has been extended and accepted,” said a No 10 spokesman.
The petition is asking to save the Queen “embarrassment” by not forcing her to meet the US President, citing his “well documented misogyny and vulgarity”.
“Therefore during the term of his presidency Donald Trump should not be invited to the United Kingdom for an official State Visit,” it concludes.
Theresa May first announced the planned state visit during a press conference with Mr Trump last week.
The following day, Mr Trump announced his temporary ban on those travelling to the US from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syrian and Yemen.
Parliament is forced to consider any petition that reaches 100,000 signatures for a debate in Westminster Hall.
Downing Street has rejected claims the Queen has been put in a difficult position due to Mr Trump’s state visit invitation.
Ms May’s spokeswoman said she did not “accept” the view of the former head of the Foreign Office, Lord Ricketts, that things would now be awkward for the monarch due to the controversy which has engulfed the planned visit.
The spokeswoman also refused to be drawn on claims the Prime Minister had been given notice of parts of Mr Trump’s travel ban on Muslims and refugees during talks at the White House last week.
She told a regular Westminster briefing there would be no “blow-by-blow” account of their private discussions.
Lord Ricketts, who was permanent secretary at the Foreign Office from 2006-10 before becoming David Cameron’s national security adviser, said the offer of a state visit so early in Mr Trump's presidency was “premature”.
In a letter to The Times, he said it was unprecedented for a US president to be given a state visit in their first year in the White House and questioned whether Mr Trump was “specially deserving of this exceptional honour”.
“It would have been far wiser to wait to see what sort of president he would turn out to be before advising the Queen to invite him.
“Now the Queen is put in a very difficult position.”
Additional reporting by PA
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