British parliament calls on Trump to reverse immigration executive order

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Europe

MPs (members of the Parliament) in Britain's House of Commons voted unanimously after an emergency debate Monday to call on US President Donald Trump to repeal his travel ban on seven different predominantly Muslim countries.

As a three-hour debate took place at Westminster, thousands of protesters gathered at the gates of Downing Street to reinforce a call on the government to withdraw an invitation to Trump to pay a state visit to Britain.

The protest at Downing Street was the biggest of similar protests in major cities across Britain.

Demonstrators hold placards during a protest against Trump's executive order in London, Britain on January 30, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Demonstrations took places in more than 35 English cities, including Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Oxford as well as the Welsh capital Cardiff, and Glasgow in Scotland.

More than 1.5 million people have signed a petition to the British Parliament saying Trump should not be invited to make an official state visit because it would cause embarrassment to Queen Elizabeth II. But it says he should be allowed to enter Britain in his capacity as head of the US Government.

Screenshot of the online petition webpage about preventing Trump's state visit to UK, as seen on January 31, 2017. /UK Parliament

The petition and emergency debate were in response to Trump's executive order to ban citizens from seven countries, all of which have predominantely Muslim populations, from traveling to the United States.

During his presidential election campaign Trump expressed his intention to ban Muslims from traveling to the US.

Earlier British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was critical of the "highly controversial" measures introduced by Trump, but said holders of British passports would not be affected by the ban, even if they also hold dual passports from any of the seven countries affected.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson arrives to attend the weekly meeting of the Cabinet at 10 Downing Street on January 17, 2017. /VCG Photo

Johnson said the proposed state visit to Britain by US president has "every reason" to go ahead, adding that the British parliament is entitled to make its views known.

(Source: Xinhua)