Politics
Tens of Thousands Sign Petition to Block Trump from Addressing UK Parliament
By Jake Beardslee · April 30, 2025
Petition Launched to Block Trump From Addressing UK Parliament
Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for President Donald Trump to be barred from addressing the United Kingdom Parliament during a potential state visit scheduled for September. The White House / Wikimedia
Campaigner Corin Dalby Behind Viral UK Petition
The petition, which has already garnered over 44,000 signatures on Change.org within a week, was launched by philanthropist and campaigner Corin Dalby. Marcin Nowak / Unsplash
Trump Plans Second State Visit to the UK in September
Trump has said he expects to visit the UK later this year, which would mark his second official state visit. During his first visit, former Speaker John Bercow blocked him from addressing Parliament. The White House / Wikimedia
Petition Cites Concerns Over Trump’s Remarks on UK and Stance on Ukraine
Dalby, in launching the petition, wrote: “President Trump has shown a consistent disregard for democratic values. He has made troubling remarks about the UK and its institutions, and is unable to clearly condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine – which all UK political parties have strongly opposed.” Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia
Petition Argues Trump’s Actions Conflict With UK Parliamentary Principles
Dalby continued: “The UK parliament should not provide a platform to a figure whose actions and words are so at odds with the principles we hold dear.” Mайкл Гиммельфарб (Mike Gimelfarb) / Wikimedia
Petition Calls for Vigilance in Granting Parliament Access
He further added, “We are a proud democratic country, and we should be protective of that status. Therefore, we should be extremely vigilant by not affording anyone, regardless of their position or status, and who do not align themselves, either verbally or by actions, with our own values with the privilege of addressing parliament.” Mark Stuckey / Unsplash
King Charles Issued Invitation via Keir Starmer
Earlier this year, Labour leader Keir Starmer hand-delivered an invitation from King Charles to Trump during a visit to the White House, reinforcing the UK government's commitment to hosting the president. Number 10 / Wikimedia
Trump Touts Upcoming UK Visit: “A Fest… and It’s Beautiful”
During a recent exchange with reporters in the Oval Office, Trump discussed his upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom. “I was invited by the king and the country – great country,” Trump said. He added, “They’re going to do a second, as you know, a second fest … that’s what it is: a fest, and it’s beautiful, and it’s the first time it’s ever happened to one person.” The White House / Wikimedia
UK Lawmakers Request Speakers Decline Potential Trump Address During Visit
A number of MPs and peers have also written to the Speakers of both the House of Commons and House of Lords urging them to reject any formal request from Trump to speak during his visit, according to The Guardian. The White House / Wikimedia
Speaker’s Office: No Formal Request Received Yet
Current Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle’s office released a statement saying, “Should a request be made to address the Houses of Parliament, it will be considered in the usual way. No request has been received, but any decision would be made by both speakers.” Roger Harris / Wikimedia