Gareth Bennett, UKIP AM for South Wales Central, says the online petition to block US President Donald Trump’s visit is “undemocratic”.
Mr Bennett says all of President Trump’s pledges were “argued in a democratic forum” during his campaign.
“It’s a matter for the US electorate and essentially they’ve already decided this because Trump floated most of these ideas in his campaign. And he was elected on the basis of promoting these ideas of tougher visas, tougher immigration policies.”
“It seems to be a lot of shock horror among people in this country that someone who was elected is actually going to do what he said he was going to do.”
Nearly one point seven million people have signed the petition.
Mr Bennett says the petition is “absolutely political” and “masquerading” as a human rights issue, describing it as “a howl of pain” from liberal voters who lost the Brexit vote.
He says “I think it would be an act of absolute lunacy for a British Government that is seeking to make trade deals with governments around this world at this point to even consider canceling a state visit from the President of the USA.
“Its childish, it shows an utter naivety about world politics and the sooner this is kicked into touch the better.”
President Trump signed an executive order this week banning people from seven countries entering the US. All seven countries have a majority Muslim population.
Hundreds of people attended a protest against the ban on Cardiff’s Queen Street.
The most-signed petition since the Government launched their e-petition site was to hold a second Brexit referendum because the Leave vote was less than 60 per cent. 4.15m people signed but the petition has not been granted.
Many people have asked whether any action will actually come from the new petition to prevent President Trump’s visit.
