The UK is debating whether US Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump should be banned from entering the country. Trump responded to the development by threatening to withdraw £700 million of planned investment in Scotland.
Around 568,000 people have supported a petition to ban the business mogul from entering the UK after the comments he made about not allowing any Muslims into the US.
The debate will be led by Labour MP Paul Flynn on January 18 in Westminster Hall.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who has openly criticized Trump’s comments, believes that the US presidential candidate should be allowed in the UK regardless.
Would banning the billionaire business magnate Donald Trump really be in the UK’s best interest?
Any petition with over 100,000 signatures has to be considered for discussion in Parliament under current rules.
However, it would allow for a ‘range of views’ to be expressed, according to Helen Jones, Labour MP who chairs the committee.
“By scheduling a debate on these petitions, the committee is not expressing a view on whether or not the government should exclude Donald Trump from the UK,” she said.
“As with any decision to schedule a petition for debate, it simply means that the committee has decided that the subject should be debated.”
Meanwhile, there some MPs who believe discussing the issue is a waste of parliamentary time.
Liber Democrat leader Tim Farron tweeted: “Trump is a bloviating billionaire with downright offensive views. But I’d rather we debated inequality or the NHS.”
There is also another petition with 40,000 signatures opposing the ban on Trump.
Trump threatens to withdraw £700m of investment in the UK if banned
Donald Trump said that if he is banned from entering the UK he will withdraw £700m of planned investment in Scotland.
The businessman plans on investing £200m into the Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire, and another £500m in Trump International Golf Links outside Aberdeen.
But that money will go elsewhere if he is indeed banned from the country.
The Trump Organisation said the UK would set a “dangerous precedent” if it restricted his travel.
“Over the coming years, we intend to further develop Trump Turnberry and invest millions more at the site, creating sustained economic growth for South Ayrshire and Scotland,” it said.
“Additionally, we have plans to invest £500m towards further development at the 1,400-acre Trump International Golf Links.
“Any action to restrict travel would force The Trump Organisation to immediately end these and all future investments we are currently contemplating in the United Kingdom.
“Westminster would create a dangerous precedent and send a terrible message to the world that the United Kingdom opposes free speech and has no interest in attracting inward investment.
“This would also alienate the many millions of United States citizens who wholeheartedly support Mr Trump and have made him the forerunner by far in the 2016 Presidential Election.”