Lib Dem Leader to Boycott King’s Trump Banquet In Protest over Gaza

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Ed Davey says Starmer should engage with US president but they should not close their eyes to crisis

The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, will boycott King Charles’s state banquet held in honour of Donald Trump to protest against the US president’s failure to intervene decisively to end the war in Gaza.

Davey, who is invited to the dinner for Trump’s state visit to the UK, said to turn down an invitation from the king went against all his instincts and that it was a deeply serious move to refuse to attend.
But he said he feared unless he took a stand over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the lack of pressure on Israel from the US government, no one would raise the issue during the president’s visit in late September.

Davey said: “Boycotting the state banquet is not something I ever wanted to do, but I believe it is the only way I can send a message to both Donald Trump and Keir Starmer that they cannot close their eyes and wish this away.” » | Jessica Elgot, Deputy political editor | Wednesday, August 27, 2025