Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has refused an invitation from King Charles to a state dinner with Donald Trump in protest over Gaza.
Sir Ed, who has been vocal in his disapproval of the US president, said he “thought and prayed long and hard” about whether to accept the invitation to the state banquet at Windsor Castle during Mr Trump’s historic second visit next month.
“I have come to the conclusion that on this occasion I must refuse,” he wrote in The Guardian.
The Lib Dem leader said it is an “enormous honour” to receive an invitation from the king, and he takes “very seriously my duty to our sovereign”.
“To refuse an invitation like this goes against all my instincts,” he added.
But, he said he fears Mr Trump will be honoured with a “lavish dinner at one of our finest palaces and nobody reminds him that he has the power to stop the horrifying starvation, death and captivities in Gaza”.
“And no one uses this moment to demand that the US president pick up that phone to Netanyahu and the Qataris and do the right thing,” he said.
Watch live as Donald Trump holds cabinet meeting
What was it like to be 10ft from Trump assassination attempt?
Kilmar Abrego Garcia: The wrongly deported man who has become a flashpoint in Trump’s deportations blitz
Sir Ed said Mr Trump “more than anyone else” has the power to stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, end the famine and get the hostages returned.
“Donald Trump could do those things today if he chose to. He has more power than anyone else finally to force a ceasefire and put Israel and Palestine on the path to a lasting peace with a two-state solution,” Sir Ed said.
“But so far, he’s decided not to. Instead, he’s given Netanyahu his full support.”
Read more:
What was it like to be 10ft from Trump assassination attempt?
Has Trump ended seven wars as he claims?
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
Sir Ed said he feels “a responsibility to do whatever I can to ensure the people in Gaza are not forgotten during the pomp and ceremony” and to ensure the UK makes Trump’s “personal responsibility for securing peace in Israel and Palestine an issue”.
The Lib Dem leader made clear that refusing the invitation is not about “the many other issues on which I profoundly disagree with President Trump”.
He said he thinks Sir Keir Starmer is right to engage with him, but wishes he would be tougher with Trump “on everything from tariffs to Vladimir Putin”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sir Ed pointed out he even argued the UK should use the offer of a state visit as “leverage” to persuade Mr Trump “to do the right thing”.
He added: “Boycotting the state banquet is not something I ever wanted to do, but I believe it is the only way I can send a message to both Trump and Starmer that they cannot close their eyes and wish this away.”
Earlier this year, Sir Ed called Mr Trump a “bully” and accused him of “betraying Ukraine” and “selling out” the security of Europe.
Last year, after Mr Trump won the election, Sir Ed called it a “dark, dark day” as the US would be led “by a dangerous, destructive demagogue”.
Sir Ed is not the first party leader to refuse an invitation to a state dinner with Mr Trump. Then-Lib Dem leader Vince Cable, then-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, then-SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford and former Speaker of the Commons John Bercow all boycotted the 2019 Trump state dinner.
