The push to stop 'bizarre' Donald Trump addressing UK Parliament being led by Scottish Labour peer

A Scottish Labour peer has claimed Donald Trump’s ‘attitude towards democracy’ should see him blocked from addressing Parliament when he visits the UK.

Efforts to prevent Mr Trump addressing parliamentarians are now being co-ordinated by Lord Foulkes, a minister in Sir Tony Blair’s former government.

The US president has suggested Buckingham Palace is “setting a date for September” for him to come to Britain.

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak in the Rose Garden at the White House. Picture: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images | Getty Images

Speaking to The Scotsman, Lord Foulkes claimed any such address would be “inappropriate” and vowed to do more to stop Mr Trump when parliament returns from recess.

He said: “I think it would be inappropriate for him given his attitude towards democracy, his contempt for court rulings and for the rule of law. He clearly does not acknowledge the responsibility of his own elected chambers in congress, and for us to give him a platform would be inappropriate.

“The UK government has to deal with him because they have to deal with governments of all kinds, whether they like them or not. But for Parliament, it’s a different thing.

“As well as those reasons, he has not condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On this and a series of other international issues, he’s at odds with our thinking.

“He also has displayed an increasingly bizarre manner of contradicting himself and saying things which are manifestly untrue. For us to give him the opportunity to do that in the palace of Westminster, one of the foundations of democracy, would be just quite bizarre and unacceptable.”

Lord Foulkes claimed a number of people had got in touch supporting his opposition. He said there would be many who wished to oppose Mr Trump speaking in Westminster, but were not able to speak publicly.

Donald Trump is greeted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace during his previous state visit in June 2019 (Picture: Victoria Jones/WPA Pool/Getty Images) | (Picture: Victoria Jones/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

He also cited an Early Day Motion brought in 2019 opposing a state visit by Mr Trump, signed by a large number of MPs, including the now-Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Labour MP Kate Osborne is now leading efforts in the House of Commons. She has asked the Commons speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, to follow his predecessor John Bercow in opposing an address from the president.

In a letter to Sir Lindsay, Ms Osborne reportedly said: “I am asking you as the Speaker to agree it would be inappropriate and mirror the previous speaker’s recommendation.”

Lord Foulkes said it was important to hear more from MPs, given they were elected.

He said: “As someone said to me this morning, which I agree with, it’s a bit much coming from an unelected member. Since the Lords is our current position, and any address would include the House of Lords, it’s appropriate that I comment on it, and will look at ways of raising it when we get back.”

Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Mr Obama.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer handed Mr Trump what he described at the time as a “truly historic” personal invitation from the King for a second state visit when they met at the White House in February.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office last week, Mr Trump had said: “They’re going to do a second, as you know, a second fest, that’s what it is - a fest, and it’s beautiful, and it’s the first time it’s ever happened to one person.

“And the reason is we have two separate terms, and it’s an honour. I’m a friend of Charles, I have great respect for King Charles and the family, William, we have really just a great respect for the family.”