British opposition leader to boycott Trump dinner

AFP  |  London 

Britain's main opposition on Friday declined an invitation to a banquet with when the US visits in June, accusing him of using "racist and misogynist rhetoric".

Trump "rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric," said, although he added that he would welcome a meeting with Trump during the June 3-5 visit.

said it was "disappointing that the has again opted to kowtow to this US administration".

John Bercow, who has ruled out allowing Trump to address parliament, and Vince Cable, of the opposition Liberal Democrats, have already declined the invitation to the dinner.

State dinners for visiting heads of state are usually held at and are lavish affairs.

May invited Trump for a state visit when she visited him in January 2017 -- just days after he took office.

The invitation proved controversial and an to cancel it reached 1.9 million signatures.

The president, a strong supporter of Brexit, travelled to last year but only on a working visit without the pomp and ceremony associated with state visits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Fri, April 26 2019. 21:05 IST