John Bercow under pressure to lift ban on Donald Trump giving speech in parliament

Lord Fowler, the lord speaker, insists ‘there is a strong case for a speech by the president particularly on such an important anniversary’

John Bercow is under pressure to lift his ban on Donald Trump delivering a speech in parliament, after his counterpart in the Lords said he would press for the honour to be granted.

The US president was at the centre of a fresh tussle over the address – more than two years after the Commons speaker insisted he should be barred to underline Westminster’s “opposition to racism and to sexism”.

Mr Bercow was challenged within hours of the announcement of the three-day visit, starting on 3 June, when Lord Fowler, the lord speaker, made clear any request “would need to be considered by both the speaker of the Commons and myself”.

“We would need to discuss the request. Clearly there is a strong case for a speech by the president particularly on such an important anniversary,” the former Conservative health secretary said.

Parliamentary officials have just weeks to settle the controversy before the visit, which is likely to be met with huge protests in central London and elsewhere.

There was confusion about whether parliament was responsible for issuing any invitation to Mr Trump to speak or whether the White House would be expected to make a request.

Theresa May hailed the visit as a chance for Britain and the US “to strengthen our already close relationship”, while the White House said it would “reaffirm the steadfast and special relationship” between the two nations.

The two leaders will hold discussions in Downing Street, and attend military displays in Portsmouth, before 75th anniversary commemorations for the D-Day landings in France on 6 June.

But the visit was condemned for Labour for welcoming “a president who has systematically assaulted all the shared values that unite our two countries”.

“It beggars belief that, on the very same day Donald Trump is threatening to veto a United Nations resolution against the use of rape as a weapon of war, Theresa May is pressing ahead with her plans to honour him with a state visit to the UK,” said Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary.

“Unless Theresa May is finally going to stand up to him and object to that behaviour, she has no business wasting taxpayers’ money on all the pomp, ceremony and policing costs that will come with this visit.”

There were also protests in Portsmouth, where the leader of the city council said it had not issued an invitation to Mr Trump and argued he was not wanted.

Gerald Vernon-Jackson, a Liberal Democrat leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: “I am disappointed because it will change the nature of the event a great deal. For us the centre of the events was meant to be the veterans.

“With Donald Trump coming, I think the chances are that it will move from being around commemoration and instead it will be a day of controversy. There will be protests and that is not what we want.”

Mr Bercow, who told MPs in February 2017 that he was “strongly opposed to an address by President Trump”, citing his migrant ban, made no comment yesterday.

“I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism, and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary, are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons,” he said then.

Mr Trump’s first visit, in July last year, saw an estimated 250,000 people join a protest march through the streets of central London – which the president avoided entirely.

Campaigners also crowdfunded a baby balloon, depicting Mr Trump in a nappy, which was put on display outside parliament.

It is understood that Buckingham Palace will be the venue for the meeting with the Queen and where the traditional state banquet will be held for Mr Trump and his wife Melania.

The president is not expected to stay at the palace because of renovations being undertaken in the east wing, part of a long-term refurbishment project.

Mr Trump’s trip was expected to have taken place in 2017 but the president reportedly told Ms May that year he would not come to Britain for his state visit until he is sure of getting a “better reception”.

Asked about a speech in parliament, a spokeswoman for the speaker’s office said: “Should a request be made to address the Houses of Parliament, it will be considered in the usual way.”