US - Boris Johnson calls U.S. travel ban 'highly controversial': Daily Mail

Daily Mail

Published on 30 Jan 2017

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Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has spoken in the Commons calling the U.S. travel ban 'highly controversial', while also reminding the House of the UK's alliance with the States for our national security.

Boris Johnson has insisted no UK citizens will be affected by Donald Trump's controversial travel ban.
The Foreign Secretary said he had received assurances from the US administration that the restrictions would make 'no difference' to Britons - even if they are dual nationals.

Mr Johnson also repeated his belief that the temporary rules - denying entry to nationals from seven mainly Muslim countries - were 'divisive, discriminatory and wrong'.


But he flatly dismissed furious demands to withdraw the invite for the US president to come for a state visit - saying there was 'absolutely no reason' why the event should go ahead.

The statement to the House of Commons will provide some welcome clarity after a message on website of the US embassy in London this morning said dual nationals would be refused visas.

The developments followed two days of chaos day in which Olympic starMo Farah and Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi warned they could be among those prevented from seeing their families in America.

Mr Johnson told MPs: ‘I’m able to provide the following clarification. The general principle is that all British passport holders remain welcome to travel to the US.

‘We have received assurances from the US embassy that this executive order will make no difference to any British passport holder, irrespective of their country of birth or whether they hold another passport.’
He added: ‘In any case, the executive order is a temporary measure intended to last for 90 days, until the US system has added new security precautions.

'This is of course a highly controversial policy which has caused unease and I repeat that this is not an approach that this Government would take.’

Mr Johnson hailed Mrs May’s ‘highly successful visit’ to the White House on Friday and said maintaining a good working relationship with the US administration enabled the UK to stand up to President Trump when he oversteps the mark.

‘Let me conclude by reminding the House of the vital importance of this country’s alliance with the United States - on defence, intelligence and security we work together more closely than any other two countries in the world,’ he said.

‘That relationship is overwhelmingly to our benefit.

‘The Prime Minister’s highly successful visit to the White House last week, underlying the strength of that trans-Atlantic alliance.