David Cameron today disagreed with Hampstead and Kilburn MP Tulip Siddiq that Donald Trump should be banned from entering the UK.
The MP asked David Cameron during Prime Minister’s Questions whether billionaires were exempt from the UK’s race relations laws.
Ms Siddid, who is from a Muslim Background, last week called for Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump to be banned from the UK after he said that Muslims should be barred from entering the United States “until we can figure out what the hell is going on.”
Given the chance to ask a question during PMQs – her third such opportunity in the past month – Ms Siddiq chose to tackle the Prime Minister over the Trump controversy.
She said: “I’m proud to represent a constituency that boasts seven synagogues, four mosques, over 35 churches, and two temples. “However, last night, Donald Trump reiterated that one of these communities should not be allowed into America simply because of their religion, seemingly unaware of how divisive this is.
“In our country, we have legislation that stops people from entering the country who are deemed not to be conducive to public good.
“Does the Prime Minister agree that the law should be applied equally to everyone, or should we be making exceptions for billionaire politicians?”
The Prime Minster replied: “Let me join with the honourable lady in being proud of representing a country that has some claim to say we are one of the most successful multi-racial, multi-faith, multi-ethnic countries anywhere in the world.
“There’s more to do to build opportunity and fight discrimination.
“Now I agree with her that it is right that we exclude people when they are going to radicalise or encourage extremism. I happen to disagree about Donald Trump. I think his remarks are divisive, stupid and wrong, and I think if he came to visit our country, he would unite us all against him.”
Mr Trump sparked outrage in the UK as well as in the US last week when he said parts of London were “no-go” areas for the police because of Muslim extremists.
A petition on Parliament’s website calling for the billionaire businessman to be banned from entering the UK has now reached well over half a million signatures.
A counter petition calling for him not to be banned has currently been signed by just over 38,000 people.
In spite of the controversy surrounding him, Mr Trump remains the frontrunner in the race for the Republican candidacy, setting up the prospect of a straight fight for the Whitehouse with Democrat favourite, Hillary Clinton.
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