Boris Johnson to be summoned to Parliament over British citizens hit by Donald Trump’s Muslim ban
Labour will table an urgent question on the issue
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Your support makes all the difference.Labour will move to summon Boris Johnson to Parliament to account for the British citizens affected by Donald Trump’s Muslim ban.
The Independent understands that shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry will table an urgent question on Monday morning with the aim of getting answers out of the Foreign Secretary.
Subject to approval by the Speaker, Mr Johnson will be asked to attend Parliament to answer questions on the Government’s response to the ban, which has been criticised across the political spectrum.
Theresa May on Saturday refused to criticise Donald Trump’s policy when questioned by reporters – despite it affecting hundreds of thousands of British citizens born in other countries on the list.
One of Ms May’s own Conservative MPs, Iraqi-born Nadhim Zahawi, says he has been told he is affected by the ban, which singles out citizens from a number of Muslim majority countries.
Other high-profile people affected are understood to include Somali-born British Olympian Sir Mo Farah.
Jeremy Corbyn today said Ms May should cancel Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK until the ban is lifted.
The Prime Minister invited Mr Trump on her visit to Washington DC this week, where she pledged a closed alliance with the US President’s new regime.
Mr Johnson tweeted at lunchtime: “We will protect the rights and freedoms of UK nationals home and abroad. Divisive and wrong to stigmatise because of nationality.”
After a period of sustained criticism on Saturday, Downing Street released a statement criticising the plans in the early hours of Sunday morning. It said: “Immigration policy in the United States is a matter for the government of the United States, just the same as immigration policy for this country should be set by our government.
“But we do not agree with this kind of approach and it is not one we will be taking.”
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