Liberal Democrat chief Sir Ed Davey has refused an invite from King Charles to a state dinner with Donald Trump in protest over Gaza.
Sir Ed, who has been vocal in his disapproval of the US president, stated he “thought and prayed long and hard” about whether or not to just accept the invitation to the state banquet at Windsor Citadel throughout Mr Trump’s historic second go to subsequent month.
“I have come to the conclusion that on this occasion I must refuse,” he wrote in The Guardian.
The Lib Dem chief stated it’s an “enormous honour” to obtain an invite from the king, and he takes “very seriously my duty to our sovereign”.
“To refuse an invitation like this goes against all my instincts,” he added.
However, he stated he fears Mr Trump will likely be honoured with a “lavish dinner at one of our finest palaces and nobody reminds him that he has the power to stop the horrifying starvation, death and captivities in Gaza”.
“And no one uses this moment to demand that the US president pick up that phone to Netanyahu and the Qataris and do the right thing,” he stated.
Picture:
The King and Donald Trump throughout his first state go to in 2019. Pic: Reuters
Sir Ed stated Mr Trump “more than anyone else” has the facility to cease the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, finish the famine and get the hostages returned.
“Donald Trump could do those things today if he chose to. He has more power than anyone else finally to force a ceasefire and put Israel and Palestine on the path to a lasting peace with a two-state solution,” Sir Ed stated.
“But so far, he’s decided not to. Instead, he’s given Netanyahu his full support.”
Sir Ed stated he feels “a responsibility to do whatever I can to ensure the people in Gaza are not forgotten during the pomp and ceremony” and to make sure the UK makes Trump’s “personal responsibility for securing peace in Israel and Palestine an issue”.
The Lib Dem chief made clear that refusing the invitation isn’t about “the many other issues on which I profoundly disagree with President Trump”.
He stated he thinks Sir Keir Starmer is correct to have interaction with him, however needs he can be more durable with Trump “on everything from tariffs to Vladimir Putin”.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
1:17
Trump vs the Fed: What’s taking place?
Sir Ed identified he even argued the UK ought to use the provide of a state go to as “leverage” to influence Mr Trump “to do the right thing”.
He added: “Boycotting the state banquet is not something I ever wanted to do, but I believe it is the only way I can send a message to both Trump and Starmer that they cannot close their eyes and wish this away.”
Earlier this yr, Sir Ed known as Mr Trump a “bully” and accused him of “betraying Ukraine” and “selling out” the safety of Europe.
Picture:
Pic: Reuters
Final yr, after Mr Trump received the election, Sir Ed known as it a “dark, dark day” because the US can be led “by a dangerous, destructive demagogue”.
Sir Ed isn’t the primary get together chief to refuse an invite to a state dinner with Mr Trump. Then-Lib Dem chief Vince Cable, then-Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn, then-SNP Westminster chief Ian Blackford and former Speaker of the Commons John Bercow all boycotted the 2019 Trump state dinner.
