A LEADING voice for Cumbria joined thousands of protesters in central London to demonstrate against the travel ban enforced by Donald Trump.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, who is also the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, took part in a protest outside Downing Street to campaign against the president of the United States' immigration crackdown.

Mr Farron, who recently backed a popular petition which is trying to prevent Donald Trump from making a state visit to the UK , labelled prime minister Theresa May as "desperate" and condemned her for "rolling out the red carpet" for Mr Trump.

In a video taken at the demonstration on Monday night, Mr Farron said: "We are united in saying that the red carpet should not be rolled out for Donald Trump to make a state visit to the UK.

"It seems to me entirely wrong that just days after the closure of the American borders to refugees and to people who are from majority Muslim countries, and after he has spoken out in favour of torture, that we should do anything to celebrate this man.

"I didn't say it was wrong for Theresa May to talk to the president of the United States but it was wrong her to go hand in hand with him and it is absolutely wrong for her to roll out the offer of a state visit."

Mr Farron went on to brand Mrs May as a "weak" prime minister and said that Mr Trump could "smell desperation from 3,000 miles away."

He added: "It just shows the weakness in her position. If you put yourself adrift from the European single market and you are in a position where you are desperate, then you will do things like this.

"I'm afraid Donald Trump can smell desperation from 3,000 miles away.

"We say that British people should stand up for strong American values. We will not show support for an American president who behaves in an appalling and disgraceful manner."

In response to the furore surrounding Mr Trump's potential state visit to the UK, Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock said that he would not back the petition.

He said: "Rescinding the state visit would break dialogue when we should be using every chance to lobby against this.

"But the president of the United States should definitely not be given the rare honour afforded to Nelson Mandela and President Obama of addressing both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall."

Protests took place in cities across the UK, including Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow and Cardiff.

Theresa May declared that an offer had been made for Donald Trump to visit the Queen on a state visit - despite a petition calling for it to be scrapped passing 1.5 million signatures.

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