Letter: Britain’s Labour blocks U.S. president from addressing Parliament

LETTER TO THE EDITORSeptember 4, 2025

Special to WorldTribune.com

U.S. President Donald Trump will make a second state visit to the U.K. between Sept. 17 and 19 to be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle. Thus, Trump will be the first American leader to visit the British royal palace twice, which demonstrates the importance and exclusivity of the relationship between the United States and Great Britain.
However, London has once again managed to add a fly in the ointment by denying the American president the opportunity to address Parliament, thereby sending yet another negative diplomatic message.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the Parliament in July. / Video Image

From the very beginning of preparation for the visit, Britain’s center-left government expressed skepticism about the idea of Trump appearing in Parliament. Many of the politicians openly express their negative attitude toward the views promoted by the American president, ranging from the fight against illegal immigrants and the protection of freedom of speech to his support for Brexit.

When the visit was announced, parliamentarians voiced concerns it would be “inappropriate” for Trump to speak in the Palace of Westminster as his predecessors Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton did. Labour MP Kate Osborne even asked Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to block the address from the American president.
Given that French President Emmanuel Macron was recently allowed to visit the British Parliament, the decision to block Trump from addressing raises even more questions. Along with the anti-American sentiment among the ranks of the Labour Party, this seems like an obvious display of contempt toward the American political establishment.
Given Britain’s unstable geopolitical position, London should choose its allies more carefully, treat Washington with respect, and encourage bilateral cooperation on various issues, including security, the Ukrainian crisis, and trade development. Otherwise, Britain risks being left alone with its problems, without the support of the United States, which still stands at the forefront of Western countries.
Liam Calnan [ Liam.Calnan@proton.me ] was born and raised in Ireland. A few years ago he moved to the United States to pursue a degree. He sees the study of international economic and political relations as his main area of research.

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