Ken Loach, Lily Allen And Frankie Boyle Back Campaign To Axe Donald Trump State Visit

'It is our duty as citizens to speak out.'
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Ken Loach, Lily Allen and Frankie Boyle have joined scores of public figures calling for Donald Trump’s state visit to be cancelled.

More than 90 signatures have been added to a letter criticising the Government for attempting to “normalise” the US President’s divisive agenda.

A second letter says Trump intends to do “ill” with his power, while in a third, dozens of healthcare workers said they were obliged to speak out due to the “jeopardy British people will face under the current transatlantic appeasement spectacle”.

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British filmmaker Ken Loach added his name to the list public figures calling for Donald Trump's state visit to be cancelled
NIKLAS HALLE'N via Getty Images

One of the letters has been signed by politicians including Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood and former Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Allen, Boyle, Brian Eno and Paloma Faith signed it, as well as union leaders and researchers.

It states: “Trump directly threatens steps towards tackling climate change, fighting discrimination, inequality, peace and disarmament.

“At the very moment when the world needs more solidarity, more cooperation and a greater commitment to justice, he proposes to build walls and wants to turn us against each other.

“We are dismayed and shocked by the attempt of the British Government to normalise Trump’s agenda.

“People in Britain never voted for this. It is our duty as citizens to speak out.

“We oppose this state visit to the UK and commit ourselves to one of the biggest demonstrations in British history, to make very clear to our Government, and to the world, that this is not in our name.”

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Lily Allen is calling for Donald Trump's state visit to be cancelled
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A second letter signed by director Loach, Mohammed Kozbar of the Muslim Association of Britain, Rabbi Lee Wax and Sabby Dhalu of Stand Up to Racism among others, said the president should not be accorded any form of official visit.

It states: “Trump is, as the president of the richest and most powerful nation on earth, uniquely placed to do good or ill. His first week in office has shown beyond doubt that he intends the latter.

“Most people in Britain want no part of it. They do not expect our Government to condone or celebrate such policies or the values that stand behind them. That is why we say no Trump in Britain.”

Dozens of healthcare workers signed a third letter in protest at Theresa May’s failure to respond to Trump’s executive orders including the travel ban and repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama Care.

They also criticised May for appearing to be “happy to accelerate the fragmentation and sale of NHS services to US markets”.

“As healthcare workers in the NHS, our pledge to do no harm obliges us to speak up about the jeopardy British people will face under the current transatlantic appeasement spectacle,” the letter says.

May invited Trump to visit Britain later this year during a recent trip to the White House.

Previous presidents have enjoyed banquets at Buckingham Palace, formal and informal audiences with the Queen and senior royals and addressed MPs in Westminster Hall.

A petition in support of Trump’s planned state visit has attracted more than 250,000 signatures.