The Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said he will boycott the state banquet for US President Donald Trump's state visit to the UK next month in order to "send a message" to the US president about Gaza's humanitarian crisis. The decision, the UK politician has explained, follows both he and his wife praying over the matter.
The Lib Dem leader said it went against his "instincts" to decline an invitation from the King, describing the invite as an "honour", reports the BBC. But he explained that Trump's influence over the key state actors involved in the situation in Gaza, namely Israel, Qatar and various Gulf states, means the US president "has the power to stop the horrifying starvation and death in Gaza and get the hostages released".
