Ed Davey to boycott Trump state banquet over Gaza crisis

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said on Wednesday he will boycott the state banquet being held in honour of US President Donald Trump during the president's second state visit to the United Kingdom next month, saying the refusal is a protest against what he called Washington's failure to use its influence to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The visit is scheduled for September 17 to 19 and will include a formal dinner at St George's Hall in Windsor Castle hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Davey, whose party is the third largest in Parliament, said turning down an invitation from the King was a grave decision that went against his instincts and his Christian faith. He wrote in the Guardian that he and his wife Emily "spent all summer thinking about this and have prayed about it," and told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "I had to pray about it." He said the boycott was intended to force greater attention on Gaza during the pomp of a state visit: "There is no honour like an invitation from the King," he said, "but I fear we could have a situation where Donald Trump comes to our country, is honoured with a lavish dinner at one of our finest palaces, yet no one...