‘UK government says Trump will receive full courtesy of state visit’, says Guardian. Oh, really?

Last Updated: February 14, 2017By

Theresa May and Donald Trump during her visit to Washington last month [Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA].

Whoever wrote the headline on this story in The Guardian needs to be sacked, or at least severely reprimanded. It isn’t accurate.

The fact of the matter is that the government has put forward the opinion that Donald Trump should be allowed to make a state visit to the UK. There has been no assertion that he will, in spite of the demand of one-thirtieth of the UK’s population.

I don’t think the report’s author, Jessica Elgot, is responsible for the error – although she should be hopping mad about it.

This Writer is one of the 1.8 million people who signed the petition opposing Mr Trump’s state visit, so I received the response by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It states:

“HM Government believes the President of the United States should be extended the full courtesy of a State Visit. We look forward to welcoming President Trump once dates and arrangements are finalised.

“HM Government recognises the strong views expressed by the many signatories of this petition, but does not support this petition.

“During her visit to the United States on 27 January 2017, the Prime Minister, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, invited President Trump for a State Visit to the UK later this year. The invitation was accepted. This invitation reflects the importance of the relationship between the United States of America and the United Kingdom. At this stage, final dates have not yet been agreed for the State Visit.”

May I suggest the 32nd of Never, 2025?

Seriously, the email goes on to say that Parliament’s Petitions Committee will consider the matter for debate as it has received (far) more than the 100,000 signatures required.

So nothing has been decided. Perhaps the Guardian‘s sub-editors should try to understand these stories before misinforming the public.

Donald Trump should be granted the “full courtesy” of a state visit to the UK, the government has said in a statement sent to 1.8 million people who signed a petition against the invitation to the US president.

The petition, which is being considered for debate in parliament, called for Trump to be allowed to enter the UK but not be granted an official state visit “because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen”.

Trump was invited on a state visit to the UK by Theresa May as she visited Washington last month. Official invitations for such visits, which include meeting the royal family, are not usually extended to US presidents until several years into their terms.

Source: UK government says Trump will receive ‘full courtesy’ of state visit | US news | The Guardian

Join the Vox Political Facebook page.

If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!

Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(
but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:

Donate Button with Credit Cards

Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.


The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

HWG PrintHWG eBook

Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

HWG PrintHWG eBook

The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:

SWAHTprint SWAHTeBook

latest video

news via inbox

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

2 Comments

  1. philcovers February 14, 2017 at 4:41 pm - Reply

    Trump has been invired by an un-elected leader of a Tory party that does not have the support of the country. ONLY 25% voted TORY. We must make it 200% Clear that TRUMP is not welcolme on a STATE VISIT. He is welcome as a person.

  2. Zippi February 15, 2017 at 7:19 am - Reply

    When was the last time that we had a Tory party that had the support of the country? Methinks that Mr. Trump is not welcome as a person. As leader, I think it important that we have him. If we have things with which we disagree, what better opportunity to discuss those things? He is obviously inexperienced and as far as I can tell, is either not getting good advice, or not listening to it.

Leave A Comment