The British Parliament on Monday opened a debate over a popular petition to ban the US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from entering Britain.
The petition that has been signed by over half a million people was prepared in the wake of the recent anti-Muslim remarks by Trump.
Before the MPs voted on the move, it was already being viewed as a positive gesture which could help stop what many are already criticizing as the racist positions of politicians.
There was little hope that Trump could even be barred from entering the UK. Nevertheless, speculations have been emerging among the analysts in Britain that the controversial Republican candidate is pursuing a specific agenda through his anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Shabir Hassanally, a UK-based political commentator, told Press TV that Trump is pushing ahead with a carefully calculated campaign to give the ticket to the White House to his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
“I don’t really believe he is angling to be the president of the US,” said Hassanally. “I believe that he has a specific task which is to make sure that Hillary Clinton gets in by being so obnoxious.”
Nevertheless, he emphasized that the move by the British people to prepare a petition to ban Trump from entering Britain was praiseworthy.
“The petition shows that the people of England are unhappy with this person [Trump] has said,” said Hassanally. “It’s a good thing that enough people have joined and signed the petition to force the British government to debate banning him.”
He emphasized that the British government in other cases involving Muslim speakers have shown double-standards and prevented them from entering the country because of their viewpoints.
“It’s well-known that the British government has banned Muslim speakers who have said nothing anywhere near to the controversial comments of this person [Trump],” Hassanally told Press TV’s UK Desk in an exclusive interview.
He further added that the Republican presidential candidate whom he described as “rude, racist and ignorant” should be put under pressure to change his anti-Muslim rhetoric.
“Mr. Trump is not the most intelligent person, does not like immigrants and has very right-wing racist views,” said Hassanally. “Until he is made to bear the consequences of his insanity, I don’t believe that he will learn anything.”
Trump drew widespread condemnation after calling for “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”
Following the comments, he also claimed that there are "places in London and other places that are so radicalized that police are afraid for their own lives.”