Mike Greene, the Brexit Party candidate for the Peterborough by-election, said it was unstatesmanlike to skip the decision, irrespective of personal views. Mr Corbyn boycotted the state banquet held by the Queen on Monday night, “climate change denial” and “racist and misogynist rhetoric”, instead choosing to address an anti-Trump rally in Trafalgar Square yesterday. Mr Greene, who is tipped to become the Brexit Party’s first MP in tomorrow’s by-election, said his energies were consumed with campaigning prior to the crunch vote.

Irrespective of Mr Trump, Jeremy Corbyn’s decision not to attend shows a lack of respect for the Queen

Mike Greene

But added: “What I would say is that this is a state visit, a ceremonial occasion.

“As such, irrespective of Mr Trump, Jeremy Corbyn’s decision not to attend shows a lack of respect for the Queen.”

Mr Corbyn justified his decision in a statement issued by the Labour Party in April, in which he said: “Theresa May should not be rolling out the red carpet for a state visit to honour a President who rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric.

“Maintaining an important relationship with the United States does not require the pomp and ceremony of a State Visit.

“It is disappointing that the Prime Minister has again opted to kowtow to this US administration.

“I would welcome a meeting with President Trump to discuss all matters of interest.”

Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry also refused to attend in Mr Corbyn’s absence.

During his speech at yesterday’s protest, Mr Corbyn said: “I am not, absolutely not refusing to meet anybody.

“I want to be able to have that dialogue, to bring about a better and more peaceful world that we all want to live in.”

In a reference to Mr Trump’s Twitter attack on Mr Khan on Tuesday, in which he called him a “stone-cold loser”, Mr Corbyn added: “But I’m very disappointed, particularly today on the wonderful festival of Eid that the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has been attacked in the way that he has.”

Mr Trump, who later branded Mr Corbyn a “negative influence” during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Theresa May, said he had turned down the opportunity to meet the Labour leader during his trip.

He said: “I really don’t like critics as much as I respect people who get things done.”

Labour later confirmed they had sought a meeting with Mr Trump, stressing Mr Corbyn remained “ready to engage with the president on a range of issues, including the climate emergency, threats to peace and the refugee crisis”.

The by-election has been triggered by the forced resignation of Labour MP Fiona Onasanya.

Mr Greene, and party leader Nigel Farage, have been buoyed by the results of a poll carried out by Opinium, which interviewed 2005 UK adults between May 28 and 30, suggesting the Brexit Party, which only launched in January, currently enjoys a four-point over Labour when it comes to voting intentions for a future general election, with 26 percent compared to Labour’s 22 percent.

The Tories lag even further behind, on 17 percent, with the Liberal Democrats on 16 percent.

Source: Read Full Article