London [UK], Feb. 21 : U.S President Donald Trump was accused of behaving "like a petulant child," during a British Parliament debate on his state visit.
As the British Parliament debated the state visit of the U.S. President Donald Trump, he was accused of behaving "like a petulant child". According to CNN, the comment came to pass, as members of Parliament were discussing a petition calling against the trip because of his "well-documented misogyny and vulgarity." Opening the debate in Westminster Hall, Labour MP Paul Flynn said that to grant the honour of a state visit to a president, who had acted "like a petulant child," would send the message that Britain approved of his behaviour and comments.
Labour MP David Lammy said it was to be expected that the US President would be invited to the UK, but that offering Trump a full state visit after only seven days in power was not acceptable and suggested that the move came because the government was desperate to make trade deals.
However, Conservative MP Simon Burns argued that the visit should go ahead because of the close links between the US and the UK.
Another Conservative MP Crispin Blunt said withdrawing the invitation risked embarrassing the Queen, but that the trip could simply be postponed.
MPs held the session after the petition attracted more than 1.8 million signatures, easily crossing the 100,000 threshold qualifying it for a parliamentary debate.
A rival 310,000-strong petition in support of the state visit was also being discussed. The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, faced calls for his resignation from some MPs after he said he was "strongly opposed" to letting Trump address lawmakers during his visit because of Parliament's "opposition to racism and sexism." Bercow is one of three parliamentary officials who must approve any invitation for someone to speak in Westminster Hall.
The British government has already formally rejected the petition to downgrade or withdraw the invitation.
President Barack Obama was afforded the honor 28 months into his tenure, while George W. Bush was extended the invite after 32 months at the White House..
Source: ANI
