Tower Hamlets mayor joins row in bid to stop President Trump state visit
Tower Hamlets mayor's letter to Theresa May urging Trump visit be stopped - Credit: Archant
President Donald Trump is to be boycotted in London’s East End with its large Muslim population if his state visit to Britain goes ahead later this year.
Tower Hamlets mayor's letter to Theresa May urging Trump visit be stopped - Credit: Archant
The Mayor of Tower Hamlets has urged the Prime Minister to withdraw any invitation in the light of a Parliamentary website petition against the visit which has so far attracted a million signatures.
Mayor John Biggs is furious over Trump’s policy banning migration to the United States from some Muslim countries.
His letter to Downing Street points out that the East End—where he depends on the Muslim community’s support—“has no place for hate” over what he called Trump’s “divisive” policies.
“Whatever you decide, I write to ask that any visit from Mr Trump skips Tower Hamlets,” it says.
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The letter refers to the East End’s historic tradition of fighting fascism on the streets “from the Blackshirts and the 1936 Battle of Cable Street to the recent Britain First and EDL rallies”.
He urges Theresa May to “take our lead” and withdraw the state visit offer.
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Mr Biggs told the East London Advertiser: “I have written to the Prime Minister to make clear that Tower Hamlets has absolutely no place for Trump, until he renounces and apologises for his policies that unfairly target Muslims and refugees.”
More than one-in-20 voters in some parts of the UK signed the Parliament website petition against the visit, which today has passed one million signatures and is now to be debated by MPs.
East London constituencies were among the highest ratios in the country. Hackney North had 4.6 per cent signing, Hackney South & Shoreditch 4.5pc and Bethnal Green & Bow 4.3pc.
