The speaker of Britain’s House of Commons sparked a backlash Monday after announcing he does not want President Trump to address Parliament – with opponents accusing him of hypocrisy for having welcomed leaders from places like North Korea.
Prime Minister Theresa May had invited Trump to make a state visit to the U. K. during her own trip to Washington last month. While travel plans have not been set, such state visits sometimes include an address to both Houses of Parliament.
However, Speaker John Bercow, who is supposed to be politically neutral in his role, said Monday he would oppose an address from Trump, particularly due to “the migrant ban.”
“An address by a foreign leader to other houses of Parliament is not an automatic right, it is an earned honor,” he said. “After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump, I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall.”
For an address to Parliament to occur, an invite must be issued by speakers from both Houses of Parliaments, as well as the Lord Great Chamberlain on behalf of the Queen.
“I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism, and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons,” he said.
While the speaker’s remarks were welcomed by left-wing politicians — with Green Party MP Caroline Lucas praising him for stopping May from “pimping out Parliament” — others were livid. Conservative MP John Whittingdale called Bercow’s speech “a performance.”
“It was John Bercow playing to the gallery and I think it was damaging to the national interest,” he told Sky News.
