EVESHAM’S MP Nigel Huddleston has condemned Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban as ‘political posturing,’ but said the US President’s state visit to the UK should continue as planned.
Mass protests have been held across America following Mr Trump’s executive order, signed on Friday (January 27), which has suspended immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, banned Syrian refugees indefinitely and halted the US’ refugee programme for 120 days.
Despite condemnation from leaders and Governments around the world, the US President has remained defiant in defending his action and in a statement said the ban is about ‘keeping our country safe.’
“I don’t agree with the travel ban,” Mr Huddleston said.
“I don’t think blanket bans on whole nations are effective in countering terrorism. Intelligence efforts should instead be focused on individuals or groups of individuals rather than whole nations.
“The move seems to be more political posturing than evidence based policy.
“Of course America has the right to decide its’ own border control policies, but I think this travel ban will soon be recognised as a bad decision on legal, ethical and practical grounds.”
Since Saturday (January 28) more than one million people in the UK have signed a petition calling on the Government to cancel Mr Trump’s state visit to Britain later this year.
However, the Government has rejected the calls and Prime Minister Theresa May said she was looking forward to his visit.
“That more than one million people have signed the petition calling for Donald Trump’s invitation to be rescinded in such a short space of time speaks volumes about the strength of feeling on the issue,” Mr Huddleston added.
“But I don’t think we should stop the state visit. I think Donald Trump should come to the UK and the British people will have the right to demonstrate their anger and frustration towards him and his policies in a peaceful but clear manner during that visit.
There still remains confusion surrounding the travel ban. But what is known is that all refugees, travellers who have nationality or dual nationality of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syrian and Yemen are banned from entering the US for 90 days, or be issued an immigrant or non-immigrant visa.
The UK’s Foreign Office has though put out a statement saying only British nationals with dual citizenship from one of the blacklisted seven countries would be subject to extra checks.
Those travelling between the UK and US would not be affected.
