Should Donald Trump be banned from visiting the UK? The candidate for the Republican presidential nomination hasn’t actually booked a trip here, but MPs are debating two petitions – one calling for him to be banned, and the other calling for him not to be banned – for three hours in Westminster Hall this afternoon. Paul Flynn, who is opening the debate, discussed the matter with the SNP’s Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on the Today programme this morning. Flynn doesn’t like Trump, but doesn’t think you should ban him, while Ahmed-Sheikh thinks the American politician’s views have ‘consequences’ and that therefore he should be banned. She told the programme:
‘If we wish to be taken seriously, the same rules should be applied, regardless of who you are, because otherwise what we’re saying is, if you’re a prospective presidential candidate, it’s alright to say what you want. Well, it isn’t alright, when there are consequences and there has been universal outrage across the world at Donald Trump’s remarks.’
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Martin Narey
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This is interesting, because the First Amendment to the United States Constitution does say that if you’re a prospective presidential candidate (or a cleaner on the minimum wage), it is alright to say what you want.
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