Hillary Clinton beats Donald Trump (at addressing British MPs)

[Thiệu Ngô]

Trump ally Nigel Farage said Clinton’s invitation to the event next week looks like “open political bias.”

By Emilio Casalicchio

LONDON — Former U.S. presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton will address British MPs next week — an honor twice denied to Donald Trump.

The ex-Democratic nominee will appear at an event in Speaker’s House — the grand official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons — next Tuesday. The event sill be co-hosted by Labour MP Liam Conlon and Conservative MP Julian Smith.

It is not an official event, but an in-conversation to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Queen’s University Belfast, of which Clinton is chancellor. She will co-host a dinner with parliamentarians and others in Westminster afterwards.

Trump has been to the U.K. for two lavish state visits. However, the U.S. president, who is divisive among British parliamentarians, did not speak on the estate during either trip.

In 2017 then House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said he would be “strongly opposed” to Trump addressing parliament. This year’s state visit coincided with a House of Commons recess — although Trump appeared unfazed.

“Let them go and have a good time,” Trump said of the prospect of British MPs being recalled to hear him speak. “I don’t want them to.”

Trump ally Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party, said: “This will look to our closest ally like open political bias.”

“Hillary’s work to put the rights of women and girls center-stage in diplomacy, and her work in peace-building, has changed millions of lives across the globe and she continues to inspire so many leaders today,” Conlon told POLITICO London Playbook PM.

Smith added: “Hillary Clinton has been a driven and energetic chancellor and it is great she is visiting Parliament to discuss the university and its ambitious plans for the future.”