London mayor Sadiq Khan supports cancellation of Trump's state visit

LONDON - London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Sunday that due to cruel and shameful policies of US president Donald Trump, UK should not roll red carpet for him.

In an interview to  ITV’s political discussion program, Sadiq went hard on tycoon-turned president although he categorically expressed that he loved America and Americans.

“I love America, I love Americans and I believe the special relationship is a good one and one that’s here to stay. But when you’re mates with somebody, when you’ve got a special relationship, of course you are side-by-side with them in times of adversity but when they are wrong you call them out,” said Khan.

Sadiq's anger came in the aftermath of Trump's executive order targeting citizens from seven Muslim countries, that has now been put to a halt due to resistance Trump faced from courts.

“I think this ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, ending the refugee program is cruel and it’s shameful. In those circumstances we shouldn’t be rolling out the red carpet,” he continued.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MecOmz0iNLQ

Khan’s statement comes a day before British lawmakers debate an online petition urging a downgrade of Trump’s UK visit so that he can be allowed to arrive in UK but it should not be an official state visit. The petition was filed back in November but as soon as Trump executed his policies targeting specific religion, it gained popularity and more and more people signed it thus compelling parliamentarians to debate over the prospects.

British premier Theresa May had invited Trump to visit UK and she faced flak for the invitation, and scores of analysts termed it a premature move.

Trump's state visit would mean that he would be taken to the prestigious Buckingham palace resulting in a huge expenditure.

It may be noted that Obama was invited as a state guest to UK after he completed 758 days in office whereas George W Bush kept waiting for 978 days for the visit.

However, Trump was fortunate enough to have received the opportunity in the first week of his presidency as he met Theresa May.