Trump Parliament speech plan ‘dropped’

PLANS for Donald Trump to make a speech to Parliament during his state visit next month have been abandoned to avoid embarrassing the Queen.

Whitehall sources said it was now ‘very unlikely’ that the US President would be invited to address to MPs and peers, despite support from cabinet ministers.

As Mr Trump’s host it would be up to the Queen to ask for the honour, but there are concerns that Commons Speaker John Bercow, would refuse the request.

Mr Bercow is to boycott the US President’s state banquet and in 2017 warned that he would block an address to Parliament, telling MPs it should be an ‘earned honour’ that Mr Trump did not deserve.

But other senior figures believe that as head of state of Britain’s biggest ally Mr Trump should be granted the honour – particularly as the visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Lords Speaker Lord Fowler has backed the US President to address Parliament and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said it was important to ‘think about the office as much as the person’ and called for Mr Trump to get the ‘best possible welcome’.