Trump's ban on migrants 'abhorrent'

MP Debbie Abrahams

OLDHAM MP Debbie Abrahams has slammed Donald Trump's halt to all refugee admissions and ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries on entering America, describing the policy as "hateful".

The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP has been joined by other members of Labour's shadow cabinet in publicly lambasting the American President's executive order.

Mrs Abrahams, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said she is liaising with Oldham councillors and the Interfaith Forum about organising local action against the policy.

She said: "Donald Trump's executive order to ban Muslims and refugees is nothing short of hateful.

"In the same week as we mark the Holocaust, to introduce such a discriminatory policy, alienating people based on their religion is abhorrent.

"Islam is a religion based on peace and has much in common with Christianity and Judaism. But as with many religions a small minority of people often seek to distort its true meaning.

"I'm liaising with Oldham Councillors and the Interfaith Forum about organising action against Trump's deplorable action and to demonstrate our solidarity with Muslims, anyone fleeing war and persecution and for the basic human right of religious freedom.

"During her visit Theresa May spoke about our special relationship with America but this should be based on shared values. President Trump's actions in his first week in office shows we appear to have very few shared values at all."

On Monday, a petition to stop President Trump's UK state visit gathered more than a million signatures and became the second-most popular on the government's website. MPs are to discuss it on Tuesday.

Downing Street has rejected calls for the visit to be cancelled as a "populist gesture".