DutchNews.nl - Ambassador ready for Wilders in London

Ambassador ready for Wilders in London

Thursday 12 February 2009

The Dutch ambassador to Britain will be at Heathrow airport in London on Thursday to offer assistance to anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders when he arrives on British soil, says foreign minister Maxime Verhagen.

Wilders has been banned from the UK because his presence would constitute a threat to public order and because of his extreme views. He had been invited by a member of the British upper house of parliament to attend a showing of his 15-minute anti-Islam video compilation.

‘Ultimately, it is up to Britain to decide who can enter the country. They have banned people before, from imams to right-wing Israeli politicians,’ news agency ANP quoted Verhagen as saying. ‘Wilders knows he will be refused entry but it is up to him to decide whether or not to go.’

According to Trouw, Dutch justice minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin made a second attempt to get British home secretary Jacqui Smith to change her mind about the ban on Wednesday.

And Dutch deputy prime minister Wouter Bos said that the British government had made a wrong decision in banning the MP.

‘They say Wilders is an inciter of hatred, but you are only that if you have been convicted. I think European politicians should be able to travel freely throughout the EU as long as they have not been found guilty,’ the Telegraaf quoted Bos as saying.

Last month the Amsterdam appeal court said Wilders, who leads the anti-immigration party PVV which has nine seats in parliament, should be prosecuted for inciting hatred and discrimination.

More on this
Wilders to head for London despite ban
British peer shocked by Wilders' ban
Britain refuses entry to 'extremist' Wilders

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Readers' comments

If the British government arrest Wilders, then expect a backlash of boycotts against Britian!

By sandra | February 12, 2009 8:58 AM

he just playing politics with this issue. Ban is Ban! As an MP he should respect laws of other country.

By kwabena | February 12, 2009 9:44 AM

let him speak his mind. I actually do agree with Wilders, there is a growing problem with radical creeping in on us. We all need to wake up to this danger, and it would be idiotic of the british government to ban Wilders.

By Elisha | February 12, 2009 12:03 PM

I absolut dislike the man ..Wilders will never go any further in his career.
Dutch people think he is a hero he has bottle!
I'm glad that the UK is sensitve they can ban who ever they like to ban.
British mentality is very different so it's already bad with the credit crunch they don't need a conflict with brits and muslims on top of it and I think that's why they done it!
NL has to becareful that they are not banned from the EU other way around!!

By Minnie | February 12, 2009 12:25 PM

What's wrong with Free Speech? He was invited by a member of the House of Lords, will his Lordship face arrest? I go to England two times a month on business but this really makes me want to take a stand and cancel my appointments. lulkoek is dit.

By Michael S | February 12, 2009 12:28 PM

There is a freedom of speech and there is Wilders - who is abusing freedom of speech. UK has legal right to ban him. He doesn't have to like it but it would be in his interest to obey the laws of UK - or does he believe that he is above the law...

By kiki | February 12, 2009 1:41 PM

I don't know which is worse - the UK refusing an EU passport holder freedom of movement or The Netherlands prosecuting someone for voicing his opinion.

By Swin | February 12, 2009 2:12 PM

I say he has pleanty of free speech right in NL and he can talk here 'till he turns blue...

By gabriel | February 12, 2009 2:27 PM

And when he gets there they can keep him.

By Geuzen76 | February 12, 2009 2:50 PM

He points out some unpopular facts,if they are wrong let us argue with him.

By Brit Ken | February 12, 2009 2:53 PM

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