in 2004 to stop george bush from becoming reelected in that campaign. i think it was a very german -- journalist, they had a letter campaign to the people in ohio, they identified ohio was a key swing state, and they got some of their readers to write to individual electors in that state, urging them not to vote for george w. bush. needless to say, i'm sure members of the house will not be surprised to know that he carried ohio and was indeed reelected as president of the united states. that campaign was often cited as the way in which foreigners, people try to intervene in the election of another state, could get things completely wrong. there he happy to give way. >> i am very grateful.

to improveseeking what happened in the american presidential candidate elections or the elections to follow. we are talking about what we can do here, asking everyone to be consistent in her approach and rules she has used. we are talking about the united kingdom, not anywhere else. i fully appreciate the honorable ladies remarks. as far as she's concerned, that is her case. i'm asking the people of america . they don't have the luxury of having her understand how conventions and debates work. you make my point for me. it is all well to say to let donald trump come here and have the discussion with us. he wishes to ban people like me.

to go to the united states of america and to make the case for the muslims in america who are not represented by dinesh. >> i appreciate her remark. the answer to his van is not to ban him. that does not make any sense to me. he is banning muslims. in his own mind, he is saying muslims constitute a danger to the united states. on those grounds, he is banning them. now we are doing the same thing if we were to ban him. we would say donald trump represents a danger to the united kingdom, and on that grounds, our banning him from coming. the circumstances are different but the logical force is exactly the same. i'm quite happy to give way. withthoroughly disagree

the honorable member saying it is exactly the same. it is not exactly the same. donald trump says he wants to ban all muslims because of their religion. 1.6 billion people he wants to ban because of their religion. the reason why members are asking for him to be banned is because of the rhetoric and sentiment and the values he has expressed is different from banning someone because of their religion. i hope that point is clear. very generous, but i want to clarify that point. as i repeat, the grounds upon which he is banning muslims is not because of their sex, but he believes they constitute a danger to the united states. just explaining his logic. i don't agree with it. trumpse to ban donald would be that he is a danger to our civic well-being. logically it is the same.

that point about 1.6 billion muslims, thank god there are 91.6 billion trumps. say, beyond the it ise public city, and no good to say that he only has good publicity of the moment, so anymore would not make a difference. we have seen throughout his campaign, at the beginning of his campaign, a growing crescendo of excitement of interest in the campaign. the very fact of this debate, as someone else observed, is stoking that excitement. i will not take any more interventions. i can see the lady itching in her seat. i am saying is we are simply adding fuel to this whole

media circus, and this is playing exactly into his hands. a ban would be a headline throughout the world. it would simply reignite all the publicity that he generated with his outrageous policy. and would exacerbate the situation, would make it more likely that he would be the eventual victor in the republican nomination fight and knows, win the election in november. then we would be in this absurd situation in which we would have banded the president of the united states from coming to insane. which is it is an insane situation to be in. people who say he has no chance of becoming president, this is my final point. look at the leader of the opposition. made 2000 essex pounds, having put 10 pounds on him.

chances ofe you the donald trump becoming president are far greater than 200 21. -- 200 to 1. >> the question is, is donald trump conducive to the public good? we have had a lot of talk about buffoonery, terms like blunt and direct this. if i were muslim -- and i'm not. i speak as a gentle atheist. i would find that repulsive. the thought that i should be excluded from the united states of america for no other reason than i was a muslim. i am proud to represent the dartmouth, and from dartmouth nearly 400 years ago, the pilgrims sailed to the americas to escape the kind of religious persecution that we are addressing today. we have seen the results in happens when you

demonize an entire people for no other reason from their race. so i don't think we should trivialize this discussion. i think it is a really important debate. nor do i think the results of the u.s. presidential election will be decided on whether or , whether this house the home secretary decides to exclude the donald trump. in fact, i would argue, should donald trump be excluded from oldest allies,' that would send a clear message to the people of the united dates about what we feel about those who demonize an entire people for no reason other than their religion. that said, i don't think there is any realistic prospect that the home secretary will ban donald trump. house send a clear message to muslims in this country, to british muslims, that we value you, that we value your contributions, that we will

take this petition very seriously. and perhaps those arguments about religious freedom matter as much now as they did 400 years ago. i welcome everybody across the pond in the united states who may be following this debate back to my constituency. the most beautiful constituency of britain. to come and see where the pilgrim fathers sailed from dartmouth. the anniversary is in 2020. i would say to them all and donald trump, just reflect on the consequences of your kind of religious bigotry. this is not a laughing matter. think again. and if you visit this country, take time to visit the mosques, take time to meet muslims. take time to understand just how profoundly offensive and dangerous that kind of thinking is, and there is no place for it

in this country or in the united states. >> thank you. 25 years ago, i was in new york , and i had an interest in his notoriety, so i visited -- i tower, sort ofmp a black and gold edifice to a certain narcissism. and then i read his book, "the art of the deal," which was pretty similar in many ways. these things were not edifying, and his activities since have not been more edifying. we have in this country a long tolerance,civilizing developed out of conflict, deliberation, and progress. this place, westminster hall, is a place of particular residence

in that history, where overbearing attitudes have been brought into line with the thinking of the day, sometimes with force. king charles was sentenced to a few euros from this place. mps here represent their constituents. the sensible ones keep close to mind the summary nature of the decisions of public opinion. those from whom the public withdraws their support have someone better prospects than in the past happily. no longer do political disagreements lead to duels, disembowelment, or decapitation. there is a more civilized process of elections. for this, we must all be grateful. when a terrorist menace threatens our hard-won civilization with a throwback to outdated methods of dealing with difference, and brings them to our shores, it is right that we oppose it in the strongest

terms. our american cousins feel differently. they are conscious of freedom, board of escape from religious tolerance, and the need to be self-reliant, and the desire to make their own economic destiny and their own strong and democratic legal institutions which have been formed under this agreement. when they speak, we should listen, even if we disagree. be robust with them when necessary and encourage them not to take retrograde steps. mr. trump, the orange prince of american self publicity, more public now than usual because he will be running for president, if he wins the nomination as republican candidate, and possibly close to the presidency should bernie sanders and not hillary clinton be selected as the democratic candidate. he has set things which many of us would not and the addition of celebrity has been somewhat grotesque. to say that he would then muslims from entering the u.s.

was too simplistic, unhelpful, and wrong, but i don't think there is evidence that he does not believe in democracy itself, so talk of fascism is a bit overblown, notwithstanding his bedtime reading leaving a lot to be desired. while cynically expressed by mr. trump, people's concerns about the terrorist challenge needs to be addressed. however, we need to work possibly -- positively with muslim communities, not demonize them. what better place for his mischaracterizations to be debunked than here in the u k, the crucible of modern democracy , where heads are no longer loved for dissent. andwould not want to watch be prodded on have i got news for you? bad opinions and characters have been allowed in britain before. a few of them homegrown. we would not want to allow him any victimhood with which

further to hoodwink people. i hope honest british muslims would have their say and even more people would then decide not to vote for him than to use the good sense. who knows? up close, we may get to see what is under that hair. >> thank you. let's petition with our half a million signatures. example of theme xenophobia of donald trump. i am here to sum up for the snp although many parties do not have an actual party on donald trump. thankfully it's not been needed. support aecessarily on mr. trump from entry into this country but it's clear his bigoted remarks

against muslims, mexicans, and other minorities, but particularly his remarks about deserve condemnation from all parts of this house and society. i am proud of the petitioners and all of those who signed the petition for rejecting the egregious xenophobia and islam a phobia of this man. i hope they would not take too this issue.h there have been interesting arguments on both sides today. those who are against banding but opposed donald trump and everything he stands for have talked about bringing him here to educate him. i did not really have the same understanding as other honorable members have had when they meant to buy that, taken to the mosques to meet some muslims.

perhaps they thought that maybe those people would teach him a thing or two, and they would be absolutely right to do that. feel inngest argument i favor of banning him is simply the argument of inequality. i think the minister needs to correct when other members say there are other cases that are similar, where they are treated differently? that is something he has to answer. the very fact that this petition was so popular highlights three worthy and important points. the first is that we in these islands reject wholeheartedly the notion of discriminate against anyone on the basis of their religion. the second, it points out that individuals of power such as trump are happy to demonize others but could never consider that they themselves could be treated in such a fashion.

finally, the public reaction in this country and the u.s. let's not forget there was an outcry in the united states from the many good people in that country, to the statements of the public to highlight the fact that trumps statement goes past all of the enlightenment values that ties the states and the countries of the united kingdom together. while we can recognize the statement was distasteful, we should also note the hypocrisy of the son of an immigrant, advocating for being so bigoted against other migrants and religious minorities. >> [inaudible] i'm afraid this debate in the u.s. is far more nuanced. all the republican candidates in this election are expressing the traditional american view that america is a melting pot. it does not matter where you come from but you had to be loyal to the flag and america.

there is a feeling in america now that trump could be articulating this in an extreme way, but to deny that many ordinary people in america are worried about their americanness is to deny the real debate, which is a valid debate. >> [inaudible] just to say we are not so tight for time as we thought about 10 minutes ago. the debate can continue until 7:30. >> thank you. just to the honorable member, he talks about republican politicians but there are others , other activists in the u.s. who do not agree with what he has assessed of the situation. donald trump. at as his first name suggests, he is the son of a scottish immigrant. i apologize for that. others, hisss mother left the homeland during

the great depression and went to the land of liberty. this desire for economic opportunity is the same thing that motivates many migrants from many other countries to go to america today. the mexican migrants who trump so roundly defames have engaged in the same quest that his forbearers undertook. as a man who purports to be proud of his new york heritage, he would do well to look to lady liberty for some advice on immigration. of course, we would also do well to remind donald trump, as the son of a scottish presbyterian, of the countless generations of immigrants who left the shores for the u.s. in search for religious toleration. the puritans may have gotten a shock at plymouth rock but they certainly went on to forge a society where your religion was to a greater or lesser extent, a relevant thing in public life. while some faced anti-catholic

prejudice when they ran for office, they were always able to fall back on the fundamental truth that religious bigotry goes against all of the in-line values that america shares with europe. of useasy for those protected by this parliamentary bubble to consider proposals and rhetoric such as trump's from being distasteful, opportunistic. some thought it was funny and a truth. but all of us in public life have a duty to work for the common good and to oppose discrimination. i don't think anyone would disagree with that. >> [inaudible] this is a presidential candidate. if a presidential candidate was banned and then became president theat in no circumstances,

ability to discuss policy on a whole range of issues would be externally difficult. that is why i am giving, i think, both sides of the argument. inm just a bit more opposition to mr. trump as a person. the way i see it being different because he is a presidential candidate, he should be less likely to get away with these things because he has far more influence over many more people. when you have someone -- >> thank you. trump wants, donald to ban parliamentarians from this parliament from entering america, so he should not be a presidential candidate. >> i agree, he should know better. when i heardmile

arguments from members of the opposite saying we should not be interceding in this process, and yet we have tried to stop him from visiting the country. when you have someone running for the most powerful political elected position on the planet, actively encouraging discrimination divides communities. it cannot do anything else. that example leads to countless whichf bigotry and hatred will never be reported. i want to turn to some of those examples which have been rise in, and the islamophobia. a friend of mine who is a spoke after the paris attacks of his son being afraid to walk to school because he was seeing the headlines on the front pages of newspapers.

one in particular claiming that a significant percentage -- i think it may have said a majority -- of muslims supported terrorism. that child was frightened to go to school. one muslim children are going to school, they are being called terrorist and bombers. to theve no connection terroristic activities going on. today, david cameron announced an englishassist language lesson. i agree, we should be supporting people to integrate, we should be supporting people, not forcing people, but my understanding is this funding is for muslim women. what has religion got to do with the english language? how will that work? will muslim women be routinely tested to see their english language skills are up to snuff? have my friends beside me already passed that test, does she have to take a test in

english? it is ridiculous. and if the money was for muslim andn, then that is wrong, that in itself will continue in islamophobia. language is so important. we would all do well to mind the language we use. donald trump, it was not just the language he used, it was the intent behind a prepared statement. the jews were forcibly registered. forld trump not just called muslims to be banned them but to be registered and tracked. to my mind, there is no difference between that and to what we did to the jews in europe. that leads me to a number of questions i have for the minister. firstly, does he agree with his colleagues that the impact of

donald trump saying what he did is no greater and no more dangerous than their constituents saying it to each other? thatdly, is he comfortable somebody like donald trump would automatically be allowed to come into the country when i know several people who cannot get their wives or husbands into the country even for visits. are they not as deserving of the rights to visit this country? if he is a lot to be in the country, will the immigration minister be expecting donald trump to reject what he said before he comes? hadhe president of china called for all christians to be refused entry into china, would he still have been invited to , -- country last year >> [inaudible] >> he is the president or he has

the right to offend. lots of my constituents think like that. would he get the same treatment that donald trump is getting? >> on that great point about banning heads of state, it is known that mecca is banned for christians for hundreds of years, yet we entertain and have entertained the king of saudi arabia. mecca and medina. >> i would say, there are a number of other people that are cozying up to -- the u.k. government closing up to him for a number of other reasons. saudi arabia being amongst them. i am not expecting the minister to write all of these down, but i hope he agrees with me that my always getsiends passionate speeches about her equality treatment.

finally, my final question. will the minister join me in condemning the nasty, abusive, racist tweets that my honorable friend has set me receiving on her speaking out against donald trump, and does he think donald trump's statements may have contributed to the abuse that she is constantly having to put up with? i have completely lost my place now. no, i haven't. donald trump is on the record saying his second favorite book after the bible is "the art of the deal" written by donald trump. hehaps it would be better if spent more time reading the constitution of the united states. as president obama's press secretary pointed out -- >> [inaudible] >> i think the honorable lady

for the speech. one point about the constitution, donald has suggested that ted cruz cannot stand for the presidency either. he is the other republican candidate. more importantly, where is the republican party going? i agree with that, and it is a matter for that political party, but that is a good point to raise, may be a good reason for us to be supporting hillary clinton to become the next president. i'm sorry, i'm allowed on the allowed to comment on the presidential elections. as president obama's press secretary pointed out, donald trump's statements make him unfit to be president because he cannot pledge to uphold the

constitution if he doesn't believe in religious liberty and freedom from discrimination, or is he going to amend the , and howion on his own with the people of the united states put up with that? and where his right wing rhetoric may help them to pick up votes in the primary, in the general election, the mass amount of voters will be horrified that such an individual could lead them on the world stage. trump believes himself to be plainspoken but i don't believe a feeling -- and i understand the arguments around people who do not want robotic politicians who just churn out pre-rehearsed press statements -- but there is a huge difference between that and what we have here. i don't believe appealing to fear and presidents is a language in common sense of people here or in the u.s. as tempting as it is is to give trump a taste of his own medicine, tempting to bar him,

would he loved it, would we be giving a gift to him? as some have argued, would only give him more publicity? or is the argument stronger that if we let him in, we will give him publicity, because of what he said, he will be on every tv program and chat show spouting his nonsense? i do see an argument for allowing him to come in and do that because i don't believe he will be able to help himself and he will say things that will render him chargeable and guilty , able to be prosecuted for inciting racial hatred. finally, i am just going to respond to the comment that he is not a martyr. surely the argument cannot be that we only want to ban martyrs, only want to charge murderers. there is another crime that has an impact on people's lives. maybe not mine but on many people's lives.

finally, there have been many suggestions on that side that we should keep quiet about this. members of the public who signed the petition, some here today, so that they should just keep quiet. i am going to hand by letting everyone know that i have a .arking today it is martin luther king day and i'm encouraging everyone to sign that today. i will quote martin luther king who said the ultimate tragedy is not the oppression by the -- bad of the back people, but the silence of that from the good people. we will not be silenced. like many others here, i welcome this debate. it is a good thing that 600,000 or so members of public have brought this to the attention of the house. viewsy, a wide range of amongst the public, across all

political parties and across the house itself. powerful speeches and powerful interventions. but an important aspect in all of the speeches this afternoon, we are united in condemning the comments of donald trump on it issues such as mexican immigrants, muslims, and women, and we should celebrate that whenever view we take of the proposals in the petition before us. i like to take the opportunity to add my name to the list of those condemning the comments that have been made. before turning to the specific question of whether donald trump should be banned from entering the u.k., i want to spend a couple moments on a wider context. donald trump made his comments in the aftermath of the san bernardino shootings on the second of december. that is when he was at his

height in relation to those con -- comments. he was not the first and will not be the last to make comments about a community in the wake of a terrorist atrocity. we have to be clear, responsibility for terrorist , notlie with terrorists with the communities that they purport to come from. we must be clear what we say about that, even when he is not clear about what he says. that does give me the opportunity to bring to this concern about the rise in hate crime here in the u.k. hate crime has been increasing, as has been mentioned. in 2015.ne up 18% the number of offenses involving religious hatred has more than doubled in the past three years. concern, but it is not uniform.

spikes after an atrocity. there is always a reaction in terms of hate crime. just last month, in my constituency, i had convened a meeting with somali women, who i was concerned to hear from. we spent the afternoon discussing their concerns. this was in december after the paris atrocities. the one thing they raise with me over and over again was that day , muslim women in my constituency, were very concerned that they were being as ated that day, week, result of what happened in paris. they perceived it and felt it. ony said it was happening the buses, trains, when they were shopping, etc. spike after atrocities, and we had be united in our values, that that should be done with.

i know the government is now tracking muslim hate crimes, and that is welcome. i know there are a number of steps to do with hate crime. dominica -- minister can point out what else is being done. i do join with other comments in saying that many people here want to send a message to the muslim community about how much we value them and what they bring to our society. >> [inaudible] on that point, i am extremely grateful for giving way and the sentiment he makes in terms of talking about the muslim community. i also think it is important to put on record, the muslim community condemns all types of bigotry, racism, regardless of who is biking in. he seems to be a misconception

that for some reason we think it toacceptable for muslims speak in derogatory terms about people of other religions. it's important to put on record that is absolutely not the case. wherever they bigotry or hatred speech is coming from, it is not acceptable, regardless of who is delivering the message. that.nk you for i do want to say something about this debate this afternoon, about this simplistic approach. he says he wants to ban all muslims, so we should not ban him. it is far too simplistic. what lies at the heart of his belief that muslim should be banned is that he thinks they are all dangerous. that is not buffoonery. that is absolutely repugnant. that is not what leads anyone in this debate, anyone who signed this petition, to suggest that donald trump should not come here. that is why his comments are so

offensive to that whole community, and of course to women and the mexicans as well. because of the assumptions and the belief that lies behind them. i do not any way condone what donald trump said, but i do not think it is right to say that if all of them, that all of them are dangerous, whatever group they may be. ,hat you are saying is, some very few from a certain group might be dangerous. i do not condone the logic. i do not condone the policy, but in this house of commons, we have to give fair dealing to the views that have been expressed. i'm grateful for that intervention. i think we have to be very the viewsout equating

of people in this house, members of this house who have called for a ban, and that of donald trump. i'm afraid on my part, they do edge toward treating a whole community as a suspect community. each and every member, but this has happened before in history, many other contexts, were a whole community has been treated as a suspect community, and we have stood against it in the past and we should do so now. one of the measures -- >> [inaudible] this debate can be tied up into whether mr. trump has made outrageous comments or simply, as some of us believe, hate speech. are others that have been banned from the country for saying the same things.

>> i'm grateful for that intervention. i will deal with that in a second. obviously, one of the measures available to government is to ban and the individual from entry into the u.k., and that is a power that has been used by successive home secretaries in many occasions. many examples have been put before the house this afternoon. it is a power that should be applied equally to everybody, whatever their wealth or power. i think that is important. i do not hold of you that because someone is a presidential candidate, that that gives them any special category. they should be judged in the same way as everyone else, all on the basis of what they have said or done. honorable gentleman agree that the consequences of this kind of hate speech are greater when they come from high-profile individuals? at the heart of the debate is whether or not donald trump's presence in the u.k. is

conducive to the public good. we have heard repeatedly about the kind of harms -- the honorable gentleman himself has talked about the harms that we are talking about. >> i do accept the substance of it. certain words in the mouths of certain individuals are more likely to provoke a reaction. the question is what is the test for a band, whether it has to be linked to public disorder and violence rather than something offensive. i will come to that but i accept the premise that different people will provoke different reactions, sometimes according to who they are. simplye narrow point is, because he has wealth or power or a particular position should not affect the application of the rules to him as it would to anybody else. the threshold for banning is relatively high, and the power is really used. the test is whether an , whether their

exclusion would be conducive to the public good. in 2005, it was already mentioned, that was extended to unacceptable behaviors. it is worth just going through the way in which those behaviors were set up as a list of indicative factors in 2005. four examples justifying terrorist violence for the furtherance of a particular belief. seeking to provoke others into terrorist attacks. fomenting other serious criminal activity or fostering hatred which may lead to injure community violence in the u.k. the touchtone has always been words which provoke a response which has an element of disorder or violence. so it is quite high of a threshold. an example has been given of some of the cases that have fallen under those provisions.

they were given at the outset of the debate. no doubt, i think, that some of comments have been offensive, shocking, and disturbing. i join with those that say they are not funny, they are repugnant. but they are just that, offensive, shocking, and disturbing. i do not think that, in and of provoke a enough to at this stage on the basis of what has been said so far. i do go back to a principal that was set up by the european court of human rights almost a quarter-century ago in relation where our government and the sunday times were slugging it out over spy capture. isy said freedom of speech one of the foundations of a democratic society.

it is applicable not only to favorable ideas, but as a matter of indifference, but also to those that offend. the point of the court was making was an important one. freedom of speech is not needed for speech which is welcomed. you do not need a protection for speech where people treat with indifference. it is only relevant, it only matters, when you get into the sphere of offensive speech, shocking speech, that is the whole point of the protection of free speech. in this context, therefore, this speech, however offensive, shocking, or disturbing, is, in fact, protected, under what we consider freedom of expression. how does that translate? i would not want donald trump around for dinner to express his views. i do agree with others that we should invite him to join us in

our various constituencies to meet with members of various religious orders, faiths, communities. you came here, he would be very busy because he would have to go to several constituencies already. it is an incredibly diverse multicultural community. see a u.k.p would very different to the picture that he painted. should he be banned from entering the country on the basis of what he said, no, in my view, he should not. , farould be met with words more powerful than his own. i do accept this is a judgment those noti respect only this afternoon but other occasions, to express the contrary view that this is so close to the line, that donald

trump should have action taken against him. but in the end, we should be guided by our own values and not those of donald trump. our own values include a deep belief in freedom of speech and a deep belief in multi faith and , where societies everyone feels secure, and everyone feels respected. thank you. it is a pleasure to be here under your chairmanship. can i also asked the outset congratulated the honorable member from newport west for the manner in which he has opened this debate, underlining the reasons why we are debating this issue, the importance in this parliament that we attach to petitions, though supported by the public when they reach a threshold, so that that actually provides voice for the public in this house. i think that has been an important addition to our

processes. to underlineright that shared sense of history between the united kingdom and the united states, and the relationship we have enjoyed between us over a considerable period of time. debate has also come as we are debating issues of freedom of speech, underline the value and importance of this , and ources on that ability for all different views, different perspectives to be able to argue those points clearly and effectively through the impassioned debate that we have had this afternoon. before i respond to a number of the points raised during this debate, a few things i want to say on the outset. britain is a successful multiracial multi faith multiethnic country.

our strength derives from that diversity. life in our country is based on fundamental values that have been shaped by our history. they are supported and shared by the overwhelming majority of the population. the rule of law, democracy, and individual liberty. freedom of expression. the mutual respect, tolerance, and understanding of different faiths and beliefs. these make the foundation of our successful pluralistic nation. they unite us and help our society to thrive. i am proud that our country has so many vibrant, diverse immunities constituting people of many faiths. and i celebrate the contribution made by british muslims in this country in every sphere and in every walk of life. from those who fought in the trenches in world war i, and

thought fascism in world war ii, to the business men, doctors, nurses, teachers, members of our armed services, and members of havehouse, some of whom made powerful and impassioned speeches this afternoon, and they are proud to be both british and muslim without any contradiction. yes, the threat from terrorism both at home and abroad is serious and real. andave seen the damaging corrosive effects of extremism in our communities. but suggesting that the solution is to been muslims who have done nothing wrong ignores the fact that extremism affects all communities, and hatred can come from any part of society. it ignores that muslims are themselves far too often the targets of extremism and hatred, and that around the world, many

muslims are killed by terrorism. more than any other group. it also gives secret to the false view that muslims cannot live a purposeful and fulfilled life in the west. such assertions are fundamentally wrong, and as a country, we could not be clearer in saying that. if we are to defeat the threats we face, we need to work together. we need everyone to play a part in stopping the poisonous spread of extremism and helping to protect vulnerable people from being brought toward a twisted ideology. it is that approach this government is seeking to foster, because we have seen the devastating impact radicalization can have on individuals, families, and communities, and because around the world more than a billion and a half people of different nationalities, different outlooks, and different political persuasions live peacefully practicing the muslim

faith. we must protect those who might -- be vulnerable to the pernicious influence of faithlization, work with groups, community organizations, and mosques across the country. this is a job for all of us and we continue to work in partnership with communities of all faith backgrounds to challenge those who spread hatred and intolerance. we must work with the overwhelming majority of people of this country who abhor the twisted narrative that has seduced some people in our those whond challenge use a warped version of faith to undermine our fundamental values. many of the contributions from honorable and right honorable members this evening has focused on donald trump's call for a temporary shutdown of muslims entering the united states. the prime minister has said the comments are divisive, unhelpful, and quite simply wrong.

and i read his views and profoundly disagree. in mr. trump's comments about london inand in particular, again, he could not be further from the truth. we should all be proud of london's state as one of the most diverse and tolerant cities. and the police's role on keeping the entire city safe, working in all communities to protect people from radicalization. i pay tribute to their tireless work. i will give way. you mention the prime minister and will you commend the prime minister's articles in the time today where he said the key to good race relations is full integration, and the prime minister points out there is still a worm a large number of muslim women who do not speak english and who are not in the jobs market, and he wants to improve the situation. movie commend the prime minister? the policy that

the prime minister is right to identify today seeking to ensure that language is there to ensure that we help migrants to better participate and integrate in everyday life. that is the building block between the policy the prime minister has rightly identified. and how equally he has been prepared, i think, to look at those uncomfortable fax, on the fact that 22% of british muslim no orin 2011 spoke limited english, compared to only 9% of british muslim men. therefore, it is how we can target that support, those communities, in the greatest need. that is precisely why louise casey has been engaged in her work to go about that. >> the point that i was making earlier, making this available for migrant people who do not than english is different

saying you must do it if you are a muslim woman. it should not be a religion, it should be aimed at people who require the support. >> david, this is not a muslim only scheme. the point that i rightly make is it is targeted on those communities that are most affected. equally, why i make the point about the 22% number that i make, which the prime minister has highlighted in the context of his speech today. to address the issue of exclusion, the home secretary has the power to exclude a national from outside the european economic area and refuse them entry into the u.k. if the secretary of state has directed the persons exclusion from the u.k. is conducive to the public good. this power is derived from the royal prerogative and is exercised by the home secretary in person. exclusion decisions are not taken lightly or in isolation. secretary makes every

decision on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the information available and a wide range of policy and operational factors. these factors include views from , includingrnment from the good department of communities and local government, and the foreign commonwealth office. the factors also include consideration of any interference with the persons human rights under the european convention on human rights come as subject their article 10 rights to respect the freedom of speech. you have also underlined some of those factors, some of those elements that are part of the policy that we adopt in considering matters of exclusion . but the home secretary uses her power to exclude foreign nationals to protect us from national security threats, to protect us from radicalizing's and hate preachers, and to protect us from people who seek to undermine our core british values. at policy is not targeted any particular community.

it is targeted at all those who advocate hatred or violence, regardless of their origins or beliefs. as home secretary has prevented neo-nazis, islamist extremists, and anti-muslim hate creatures from entering the u.k.. she has excluded more preachers of hate than any other home secretary before her, 103 since 2010. and she will continue to use the exclusionary power against those who seek to do us harm. now the government has a long-standing policy of not routinely commenting on those who are being considered for exclusion, for sound legal reasons, and i will maintain that position this evening. but what i can say is that the u.s. remains our most important bilateral partner. it is in the u.k.'s interest that we engage all presidential candidates, democratic and republican, even though we may disagree profoundly on important issues.

where there are clear differences of opinion, the most effective way to influence our american partners is through a frank and open exchange of the fuse. in taking on those arguments. today's robust debate, as i think, has provided a platform to do just that. i think the minister for letting me in again. the hometer says secretary has a policy position of not commenting on people that are being considered for the exclusion list. dos that mean that he cannot confirm nor deny that donald trump is being considered for that exclusion list? >> as i say, we do not comment on individual matters, but i would say, on the chance that the exchequer has underlined -- the best way to defeat nonsense like this is to engage in robust democratic debate and make it his -- donaldt

trump's abuse -- are not welcome. we have also had comments in relation to donald trump's comments with respect to investment in scotland. that matter it is for the scottish government. the u.k. has never given mr. trump awards or appointments, honorees, or otherwise. mr. trump has threatened to withhold investment in scotland in the wake up call to ban him from the u.k. over the years, mr. trump has made a number of statements about his gale of investment in the u k and his willingness to maintain them. the u.k. is the number one destination for inward investment and the world bank has ranked the u.k. as the sixth easiest place to do business. so any organization making promises on investments in the u.k. should live up to those promises. in conclusion, we will not win extremism byinst demonizing communities and tarring an entire religion

because of the actions of a few, and we will not defeat the threats we face by acting in isolation. we will win the fight by working together, standing shoulder to shoulder of people of different faiths and backgrounds, defending our values, and by showing that division, hatred, and hostility have no place in our society. i think the triumph of today is we have had the debate, it's been seen by many people outside , including the united states, and they have seen parliament added to best. we have had a diverse debate from a diverse parliament. i believe it reinforces the need for the petition committee, a young committee, experimental committee that is going very slowly, building a role here, and this was a subject chosen not by any politicians but by people who initiated and signed that view. i think we are all touched by the accounts by those of the

muslim faith about how devastating these threats from donald trump are. i believe all that was said today will enhance the standing of this parliament and will reinforce our relationship with our great allies in the united states. question is this house has considered petition 11403 and 114907 relating to the exclusion of donald trump from the u.k.. -- the ayes have it. order, order. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2015] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] >> you can see this entire debate on banning donald trump from the u.k. at 8:00 eastern tonight on c-span.

and tone ofnature the british debate, republican presidential candidate donald trump said during a campaign stop today that he will not change his views on immigration. here is a clip. syrians, not let the we have no idea who they are -- they want to come into our country, they may be isis. it may be the great trojan horse of all time, who knows. we cannot take a chance. i want to build a safe zone somewhere in syria even what is happening in germany is a disaster. what is happening in brussels -- you look at what is happening all over europe. europe is being swamped and destroyed. what is going on with the crime and the problems? sinisteruld be some plot. you look at the migration, you look at the lines, and you look at the tremendous amount of young, strong men in those lines, and you say what is going on? obama wants to take in thousands

and thousands of people. we cannot do it, folks. we don't know anything about the people. we are going to do a safe zone. we have to get the gulf states -- they have nothing but money -- we have to get them to fund it. we have to get them to put up the money. without us, with the military, by the way, we are protecting countries that are behemoths. countries that are so rich, so powerful, so incredible, south korea, we protect south korea. in south korea, but we are protecting south korea with 28,000 soldiers on maniac andtween the south korea. we are protecting them. they pay us peanuts. germany, we protected japan, countries nobody even knows about. before the oil price went down, saudi arabia was making $1 billion a day. we protect them.

they pay us like practically nothing compared to the cost. you got a pay up, everybody has got to pay up. we cannot do this anymore. we have got to have great heart. >> donald trump speaking today at liberty university in lynchburg, virginia. the entire debate today on banning donald trump from the u.k. tonight on c-span starting at 8:00 eastern. this afternoon on c-span, australia prime minister malcolm , center for strategic and international studies, where he will discuss australian relations. that will be live your 3:00 p.m. eastern. a live picture this afternoon from the martin luther king memorial statue here in washington on this holiday. open to the public on august point second, 2011, the 40th anniversary of the i have a dreams each martin luther king delivered from the steps of lincoln memorial.

it is the only memorial dedicated to the life of an african-american. when you visit, you will see stone panels with quotes from dr. luther king's speeches. president obama to be did dr. king today, today, we honor a man who challenged us to than the ark of the moral universe toward justice. let's keep working to realize the dream. jr. -- we luther king honor his commitment. aso, bernie sanders tweeted quote of dr. king's when he said, this country has socialism for the rich and rugged individualism for the poor. on facebook, we're asking what you believe our civil rights issues of the day. couple of responses very quickly from jane, who says lgbt, the fact that old people do not have the same rights and freedoms, insane area why do we

call it gay-rights? we must call it what it is. all human beings. this is from carl, same as they always were, racism and everything that follows it and the destruction of constitutional rights and everything that follows that you are you can join the conversation. >> as i have been watching the campaign this year, it has been more interesting to look at the republicans than on the democratic side. that may have something to do with why there is more interest in these candidates. carlosay night on q&a, discusses books written by the 2016 presidential candidates. >> everyone has interesting stories in their lives. single-mindede so in their pursuit of power and ideology.

it could have particularly interesting once. when they put out these memoirs, they are sanitized. they are vetted. minimum therefore controversy. >> sunday night at a record eastern on c-span's q&a. the justice department last week held a ceremony honoring gotten -- dr. martin luther king jr.. loretta lynch gave a keynote just. -- musical a miracle performance and a high school student who won a contest honoring dr. king. >> good morning. great to see a packed room on this special day today. thank you for the kind words and outstanding leadership. and i want to thank the equal employment opportunity staff the

made this possible. reverend knowledge daniel's inspiring indication for everything done for the justice department and the fbi over several decades now. who, but forge your struggles and all of the struggles alongside everyone of those marches, we would not be here today. a round of applause to you. [applause] and unwavering support for our civil rights here across the justice department. it is a true pleasure to join you all to come together today to celebrate the life and legacy of dr. king. country, all over the we breathe life into dr.

king's's visual. we uphold the law that he championed and bring america closer to realizing the dream he shared. fueled by courage and by hope, dr. king changed the course of history. as the legacy reminds us of the unique role each of us play, that when we embrace the same powerful forces, he reminds us that we must do more every day. and privatervants citizens, we hold the power to shape our country into a more perfect, more free, and more just communion. opportunity toan honor dr. king's's life and commemorate what he accomplished and it provides us with a chance to remember how he lived, to reaffirm the values he stood for and draw strength from the leadership he provided. his life and legacy example five the power of courage. he never shrunk from the moral responsibility to confront injustice. dr. king saw clearly the painful inequalities of his time.

importantly, -- a world filled with freedom he favored truth over -- he diagnosed problems and met challenges with candor and called on millions of americans of every race, creed, and background to live up to our identity as a courageous and compassionate nation. hope.ng also embodied confronted by daunting opposition, he responded with on rave ring -- unwavering optimism. facing bigotry, he chose tolerance. threatened by violence, he chose peace. surrounded by hate, he chose love over and over again. pressured by fear, he chose faith. that feltying times hopeless to so many americans, dr. king saw a nation on the brink of opportunity and a people on the cusp of change. the lincolnps of

memorial, he told us to focus on the fierce urgency of now. declaring now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. for more than half a century, courage and hope have also fueled the civil rights division as we work with partners across the justice department to protect the most vulnerable among them, to defend the foundation of democracy and expand opportunity for all people. we vigorously defend the right to vote, ensuring all people eligible to vote can elect candidates of their choice. we work tirelessly to fight and combat immigrate -- from our schools toward the governments, the banks and businesses, to courts and jails. we ensure all people can have equal access to credit, housing, and employment. we combat hate crimes that communities,able including our brothers and sisters and people with disabilities. in cities across america, we

continue to advance constitutional policing that builds trust between law enforcement officers in the communities they serve. within the division of across u.s. attorney's offices around the country and throughout the entire department, courage and hope continue to drive us to make real strides toward progress. here todaynot come to take a victory lap around our civil rights achievements. in the 21st century, we understand firsthand the work that remains to bring america ever closer to the founding ideas -- ideals of justice, opportunity, and fundamental fairness for all. peacete the words of the lecture in 1954, we must press on, exalted to new peaks of houck -- of hope until transformed into a plane of opportunity. and until the crooked ways of the prejudiced are transformed.

today, let us dedicate ourselves to press on, regardless where they came up -- came from, what they look like, whom they loved, or which god they worship, and live free from discrimination and fear. and until people from every walk of life can stand together and say that dr. king's dream came -- became a reality. let us acknowledge the realizing of the unfulfilled promise of dr. king's dream. it will not come easily. the road ahead contains no comfortable or convenient solution. looking throughout the hall and seeing so many dedicated people and sharing the stage with our outstanding attorney general, i know we will continue to forge on with courage and hope to deliver real results for those in our great country. we are honored to be led i our attorney general who has devoted her entire career to using law as a lever for justice.

attorney general lynch has never cases ory from tough run from complex decisions. she keeps a relentless focus on the problems facing our most vulnerable communities, problems too often hidden in the shadows of our society. despite the many and serious and pressing challenges we face today, her leadership gives me great optimism and our ability to tackle them in the days and months ahead. please join me in welcoming to the stage loretta lynch. [applause]

>> thank you all. good morning, everyone. this is martin luther king day. good morning, everyone. there we go. thank you, vanita, for that kind introduction and for your leadership of the civil rights division, which is doing so much to advance dr. king's vision in our own time. i also want to thank deputy attorney general yates for her many contributions to that urgent work. and thank you to director toscano and deputy director abrahams and their colleagues from the jmd equal employment opportunity staff for organizing this important annual event and it takes a lot to pull this together but it is so important to stop and take a few minutes out of the day to recognize the importance of dr. king's's spurs it onow it

today. they do it on a labor of love. i think them also. i'd like to recognize the cardozo senior high color guard; --weren't they great? weren't they outstanding? [applause] here. their mothers are if not, as a mother, let me tell you how proud i am of you. and can we think again dorothy williams from the civil rights disabilities center? [applause] , my first thought was intense relief i will not be singing. i'm sure that was shared by the crowd. i am sitting there thinking, i am attorney general and i have to maintain a certain level of dignity. what i wanted to say was woo! [laughter] so thank you for sharing your gifts with us on this national day.

let's congratulate norman again. martin lutherthe king oratory competition. why.ll soon see they have all made the celebration extremely unique. let me also thank our special guest. as we have heard, she was at the center of so many of the crucial trams of the civil rights movement. as a young college student, before she came into her current ineer and position here washington, d.c., she worked with freedom riders and helped summit ande freedom was one of the pillars of the student nonviolent coordinating waivinge, committed to the issue by raising the conscience of the man who was against this particular movement. joining the march on washington, she marched from selma to montgomery.

this was made possible by the brave americans like her. i will tell you i am able to because youoday march to then. i thank you for all that you do. [applause] it is an honor to have all of our special guests, those who have come to celebrate with us and commemorate life of dr. martin luther king jr., as we reflect on the legacy we left behind and rededicate ourselves to the cap -- the tasks of continuing his unfinished work. and it is unfinished. for dr. king, the work that was his life's effort began it was throughout what he called a long night of racial injustice. segregation was the law of the land. it seems strange to think of that now.

we stand here in the great hall of the department of justice. an african-american president and attorney general, but there were times when the laws we uphold today were used against people of color and anyone perceived to be different, to keep them in what was perceived to be their place. the force of government, the force of our own country acting to directly oppress citizens, it was that. and those were those days. regulation and outright bigotry denied african-americans the right to vote in the lives of countless people of color across the united states were dominated by fear. in the darkest hours of the long provided. king's words , and it was a spark and

a light for humanity he called forth the best of us and that from and that light spread the granite steps of the lincoln memorial to the dark and cold cell of a turning him -- birmingham jail. he always painted a position of dignity and democracy. he described a beloved community, one not driven by hatred or divided by color by govern by brotherhood for all mankind. he challenged america, he challenge this country that he loved to rise up and to live out the meaning of its founding creed, to ensure opportunity. to promote inequality. to demand justice. thanks to the struggles and sacrifices of the working, his colleagues, in the non-untold number of ordinary citizens who believe in the possibility and necessity of a more perfect union. we live in a nation today that has indeed traveled an extraordinary distance from that long night.

as dr. king wrote in his moving letter from a birmingham jail, it is indeed true and we will look back on the civil rights movement and see the heroes were the ordinary people. the elderly woman who said, my feeds is tired and my soul is at rest. the young student who stormed down the police dogs. those who fought for the future for their children and the children of this country. because those were citizens, those heroes work willing to raise their voices and risk their safety and even to lose their lives, we live in a nation where segregation no longer receives the sanction of law. we live in a nation where no person can lawfully be denied the right to vote civilly because of their race and we live in a nation that in fact did the civil rights act of -- the did not to the civil rights

act of 1964 and 1965, landmarks in our nation's his jury despite -- history despite the issues. in the later campaign so many of have joined, include improving the welfare of our citizens and realizing the hubs of our nation. these campaigns for equality, for justice, for advancement, have rested in large part on the extraordinary example of the civil rights movement. these are campaigns not as much as in this country, but around the world and on this day, dedicated to martin luther king, jr., it is fitting and appropriate that we stop to appreciate how drastically the movement he led improved our common life. we do that here today and we continue to the year. but yet, if we want to truly honor martin luther king junior and the millions who marched,

and stood up, who sat in, who spoke out, we have to recognize their words and deeds are not relics of history will stop their not confined to the past but they are living challenges. they are calls to action that still echo in our hearts, urging us to continue their journey to extend their cause and to realize their vision of a more just society, in, a more beloved community. dr. king's challenge, a challenge to a nation to live up to its defining principles still echoes today. it did indeed, my friends, it is the challenge of every generation. every generation realizes the price of freedom is constant vigilance. it is the challenge to understand we cannot erase every dark prejudice from the heart of man, but we can went to ensure the angels of our outer selves when the day. -- win today. in this only special cabinet named for an ideal, we only testament of our determination in service of that effort.

we vigorously defend every citizen's right to vote, upholding the wars that were asked over the blood of so many that went before. will use every legal tool available to us to enforce the voting act in the wake of the supreme court's decision in shelby county. we're working to broaden american idiot and other -- american indian and other citizens voting rights. [applause] full line -- we are protecting civil rights beyond the ballot box as well. in all of america. [applause]

and we press on. since 2009, i am proud to say our civil rights division has filed more civil rights cases and prosecuted and convict did -- convicted more defenders on hate crimes charges then add any other point in the department's his story. -- history. [applause] atty. gen. lynch: we are also working to ensure civil rights and criminal justice, in part by promoting trust and strengthening the relationship between law-enforcement in the communities we also. -- all serve. we're playing a leading role in this administration's effort to reform our criminal justice system especially through our ongoing work to reduce recidivism and improve reentry outcomes. just last year, our programs disperse $53 million in second it chance act grants. they went out to 43 municipalities nationwide.

this work is as important as the work we do in prosecuting cases, ensuring the citizens who live out our in cursive tory incarceration institutions have the ability and right to go home. we have also joined in with other cabinet level agencies over the departments of education, labor, and housing and urban develop in to launch an innovative program in a number of areas. in particular, making helga rhodes, educational grants, -- held grants, agile -- educational grants available, to some incarcerated individuals who are also working to help with record cleaning and expungement said that every american returning home has the chance to contribute to their community to make a life for themselves and to rebuild their families. [applause] atty. gen. lynch: this is

tremendously vital work. this is tremendously important work and these cup and the pace of our work on the behalf of justice and civil rights demonstrate how far we've come the last century in indeed, it is far. but it is clear even now that we still have a long way to go to reach the promised land of which dr. king's spoke and he described so beautifully. it is also clear that everyone of us must be committed to doing our part, and off -- and after all, as dr. king did so well, and as all of you here in this room understand, there is nothing inevitable about progress. does nothing foreordained about our advancement. we often look to act on the achievements of the civil rights movement. as of it represents a story that was written with heroes preordained to succeed.

it is a great american novel come to life. how could they not reveal? -- prevail? the cause was unjust. how could they not win? they were so clearly right. yet, in those days there were no guarantees. never knew of their efforts would be successful or not. people, john lewis, a million boynton, and nor -- dorian ladner, marched across the edmonton bridge not knowing if they would be met with accommodation or more of the armed resistance. and yet, what they knew, which led to what they did, was that whatever the cost, they must march forward. there was no other way to go. it has been ever true in this country, a nation described both by and for the people, that the future, the future has always imagined -- belong to those who dare to imagine it. to those who decide to hold it. and, to those who is often

protected from those who might tear down. that is why it is incumbent upon all of us here today, upon all of our partners run the country, every citizen of the united states, all those under the sound of my voice, all of those who hear this feature hear about hearar this speech or about it, to devote ourselves to the perfection of our union. to devote ourselves to the continuation of dr. king's gauze and we dedicate ourselves to the journey still to come. it does when you honor dr. king's life and legacy, we must renew our commitment to the vision he embodied and hasten the arrival of the day when history will come to pass, for all the world. dr. king understood bad our choices, our choices particularly those in the face are what define us. he understood that even those

who stood on the sidelines and allowed oppression to continue when choosing a path to support it. he understood the words of edmund are, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good and to do nothing. thank you. [applause] atty. gen. lynch: and in that classic beyond their of american democracy, letters from a birmingham jail, he afforded the rights of the south to stand up south toites of the stand up and support what was right. my friends, i tell you today and every day, we all have that choice. we all face a moment at some point in time when we have to decide, are we going to sit back and watch someone else suffer the oppression based on some incompletely outside of their control, or are we going to act? are we going to stand up for what is right?

are we going to choose not to stand on the sidelines but too much. two march. it is so telling the activity of the 1960's was a march. moving forward. taking action. well, i commit to you today that this department of justice will always choose to act. [applause] atty. gen. lynch: we -- this department of justice will always choose to protect the week from the strong. this department of justice will always choose to lift up the essential humanity into the april rights of every american, regardless of what they look like, where they live or whom they love. and, this department of justice

will always choose to work to extend the promise of equality, to extend the promise of america to all. i want to thank all of you for this dedication -- your dedication to this mission. for recognition that the day of martin luther king is not a day to said and watch others suffer but to keep taking action and protect those who depend upon all of us. i look forward to the work we would do in the future to make sure that to our beloved community lives up to these highest and best ideals. thank you so much. [applause]

>> can i just ask everyone to give me another round of applause for those inspiring remark is? -- remarks? [applause] >> it is truly an honor for those of us here at the department to work with florida. at this time, dorothy williams will perform a musical selection for us in honor of dr. king's birthday. if i can help one body as i pass along

care for somebody with the words of a song somebodyshow , thenght or wrong my living shall not be in vain my living shall not be in vain then my living shall not be in vain

somebody as i pass along then my living shall not be in vain then my living shall not be in vain living shall not be in vain somebodyhelp as i pass along

then my living, then my living, hen my living be in vain ♪ [applause]

>> please join me in another round of applause for dorothy. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, we will now hear from norman jones, the winner of the martin luther king oratorical competition sponsored by the sorority. i am going to go for a minute. i found out backstage that norman one for the third consecutive time in 2015. -- norman won for the third consecutive time in 2015 and he is joined here today by his parents and three of his grandparents.

welcome. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, norman jones. [applause] >> two roadster verged in her would -- in a wood. and i, i took the one less traveled by. and, that has made all the difference. today, in a country and the world full of so many different roads to choose. as robert frost said, they are -- all make a difference both positive and negative. the hardest part, however, will always be which -- choosing which road. in life, when identifying our own house, we must do as we do with any ordinary street, road, or pathway. first, try not to go alone.

then, look for signs. and finally, never turn back on our decision. these three steps will ensure you make the right turns in order to not be left behind. so, if taking the high road involves bringing others to a solution, and notice i did not say that with others to fix a -- go with others to face a problem. now, when we go out, our parents often tell us, do not go by yourself. or they ask, are you going with other people. they say this for assurance as we may go to dangerous places. when a positive opportunity arises, we are so focused on keeping it to ourselves that we do not share it with others that could benefit. why is this? why is it we bond together for the problems of the low road, yet we separate for the solutions of the high road?

i personally believe this is because we have become more available yet of society the in april act of society. we do not ever take action until it hits home. but we cannot wait for someone else to start the movement. i cannot wait for the people close to us to be put in harms way for us to do what is right. >> we will break away here with a reminder you can watch all of this online at c-span.org. we will take you live to the center for strategic and international studies for remarks from australian prime minister malcolm turnbull. >> i think that is a real tribute, not only to you, prime minister, but a tribute to this remarkable friendship we have with australia. australia is what america wishes it could be.

need to get together with you as often as possible to remind ourselves of what we could become and what we hope to be. the prime minister is here. just beeno us having in afghanistan. there was a mortar round that landed 600 yards from where he was staying. safee delighted you are and we are very glad he could be here. the prime minister just arrived and had a very full day. he spent the morning with the defense department. -- for honoring those in this country. a partnership side by side. that has carried us firmly and well through the years.

welcome the prime minister of australia. [applause] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016] >> thank you for the warm tocome and for coming out on your public holiday on martin luther king day. completes time in linengton and draws a under exactly 33 years in public life. i thank him for everyone of them, especially the six, which has been our ambassador here in the united states. throughout his career as minister of defense, the finance

minister and leader of the labour party and opposition, he has been a steadfast supporter of our alliance. he will continue to be so in the years ahead. changed in the united states in the 41 years since i came here. first as a young student fitter -- visiting my mother and then as a young journalist interviewing governor george wallace in montgomery. be amused about the prospects of jimmy carter's presidential bid. my wife and i worked for the in the earlynt 1990's, came to this town. a partner in goldman sachs, i was officially greeted as taxpayer by the ambassador in australia.

we floated on the nasdaq 20 years ago and since then, so many visits from business and visiting ourding son studying at harvard college. so, as aast decade or politician in and out of office, now is the prime minister. been that this is the most exciting time to be in australia. the pace of change has never been greater. the opportunities are on a scale our parents could barely imagine. we seized them with confidence, innovation, imagination, enterprise, determination to make volatility our friend and not our foe. that is a spirit of enthusiastic enterprise has always been inspired by the restless energy

of the american people. always reaffirming the power of optimism, resilience, and a always to curiosity, find a new way, a new idea, a new world and a new frontier that are constantly reimagining, and yet, founded on values which are always contemporary, as timeless as they are true. , freedom,share enterprise, and a deep believe everyone should have the best dreams.o realize their like you, we do not define our national identity by race, heritage,or cultural but on shared values, at the heart of which is freedom and mutual respect. at the core of our success and of others failure, is the recognition that in a true

democracy, the rule of law constrains the majority. at the same time it empowers it. freedom needs leaders. today, we honor one of the greats, martin luther king's dream echoed not just across the city and the red hills of georgia, but right across the world and right across the ages. arlington,g at defense secretary carter and i honored the americans who died so we can live in freedom. in every major conflict since the first world war, americans have fought beside australian spirit in the great battles that finally brought that to an end, american and australian units fought together on drew the leadership of our greatest general. , in the skies over iraq

and syria, our combat pilots are fighting together under the leadership of american commanders. time and time again, australians and americans have shown they priceepared to pay the and alliance that indoors and evil as the world around assess changed. now in its 65th year. this morning, secretary carter and i reflected on the young lives lost so we could live in freedom. our way of life, our prosperity, our security, is built on the service and the sacrifice of our military families. my daughters families one of them. like the loved ones of your veterans, she is known all too well. the anxious wait between phone calls and places like afghanistan and iraq.

our countries know too well that the costs of war stretch for decades and every decision to comes with aoops contract to care for them and their families, however long their way home might be. dayse spent the last two in iraq and afghanistan, where i have been able to meet with an thank our servicemen and women for the work they're doing there for our nation. i have also had the benefit of very candid discussion -- the prime minister of iraq, the president of afghanistan, as well as other leaders. the afghanistan commitment is the longest in our military history. over toy 5000 australians have served their since 2001.

41 were killed in operations in afghanistan and many others wounded. iraq, our contribution to the 60 nations strong international coalition against isil is second only to that of the united states. economies,ns, larger larger defense forces, and closer to the theater, are beginning to step up their commitments, as they should. isil's territorial gains in iraq and syria remain its core strength. most immediate challenge. isil has used the declaration of a caliphate as a powerful marketing tool which is attracting supporters, not just to travel through the region but to carry out attacks on our citizens at home. the destruction of their helpstyled caliphate would to counter its narrative of

inevitable victory. the destruction of isil requires military action including boots on the ground. they must be the right boots on the right ground. the recent retaking is a good example. led by the iraqis themselves, assisted by the coalitions, it was not just a blow to isil, but an example of the right combination. an enduring victory must be owned by the people of iraq and syria. our role in the coalition is important. the prime minister of iraq thanked me personally for the role australian advisers played in supporting the retaking. it was politically finally important for him that retaking that city was done by the iraqi

army and in particular, the counterterrorism insurgents. this check in isil's momentum -- neither country can be secure without a settlement in the other. unless the sunni population in syria and iraq can be reconciled with a new order, then isil or an extremist group will already have a recruiting ground. the biggest challenge is finding that political settlement in syria. the scale of the suffering is so great. a quarter of a million killed. 4 million refugees outside of the country. 6 million internally displaced. deep, the wrongs so

shocking, that every option should be on the table, from a institutionalized power-sharing to some form of partition. this is a time for creative. and his him a recognition that difficult compromises will be required. particularly to avoid the sectarian aspects of the struggle spreading more widely across the region. it is above all a time for all coalition,r us-led the sunni states of the region, iran and russia, to get on the same page and bring the war to an end. looking at the challenge more broadly, all of our words and deeds must be calculated with one aim in mind. ,o defeat the extremists dissuade people from joining them, to sort them when they try to attack us. to punish them severely when they do, all to the end of making our people safe.

we should not be so delicate as to say it has nothing to do with islam. neither should we tag all muslims or their religion with the responsibility for the crimes of a tiny terrorist minority. this is precisely what the extremists want us to do. today, they want us to turn on the muslim communities in our midst because it reinforces the narrative to young muslims that americans and australia do not want them, that they have no future here, that this is not their country too. ofversations with leaders muslim majority nations promoting a modern and tolerant islam. one said to me only a few days allow thest not criminals to hijack our religion.

the president of indonesia, his capital was attacked last week. advocate for moderate and tolerant islam. he condemns the extremists not just for their violence. after all, is directed against other muslims, but for the way they defame islam. as the democratically elected leader of the world passes largest muslim majority country, that president could play a final role in promoting the counter narrative from within the world of islam that will ultimately defeat isil and other violent extremists. we will continue for our part in a straley a in very close cooperation with indonesia in the campaign against terrorism. australia, leading islamic groups have also spoken out, warning that any support for the groups contradict islamic

teachings. as we confront this threat at home and in the middle east, and africa and southeast asia, we should remember terrorism is a strategy of the week deployed -- the weak deployed against the strong. we should not allow anxiety sil to lead usi into exaggerating their power. .hey sweep across continents they stable the horses in the vatican. crazed delusions. we should not amplify them. the coalition will win by targeting isil militarily, using local ground forces supported by stoppingnd training, foreign fighter flows, and pursuing political resolutions and reconciliation in syria and iraq. is one element of the

campaign, however, that needs considerable improvement. isil may have an archaic and ideology but the use of technology and social media in particular is very stick -- sophisticated and agile. isil uses social media for its propaganda, we must respond .apidly and persuasively it was clear to me from my recent visit that the iraqi government and other anti-isil forces are not reacting quickly contradict online messages being used to demoralize those who oppose them. mocked and must be disproved as they are made. as rapid astions the canadian battlefield. we are working with our partners in southeast asia to improve the

effectiveness of the counter narrative online. i was pleased to see the heightened operation here in washington between the government and the private andor, software developers, social media platforms to that end. i am looking forward to further progressing our cooperation in the field in the course of my discussions with the president tomorrow. war writes its own headlines and they must feel they have been at war for a long time. possibly the biggest story of modern times is the united states anchored rules-based order has delivered the greatest run of these and prosperity this planet has ever known. nowhere is this more evident than in our own region. 40 years ago when i first came city, china was barely a

participant in the global economy. today, it is the role's second-largest national economy. the pace and scale of economic growth in the region is utterly without present in human history. it would not have happened and it's continuous cannot be assured without the security underwritten by a strong and enduring united states presence in our region. one third of the world passes middle-class lives in southeast asia today. will be 55%. it is not just china. 74%,ndian economy grew at making it the fastest-growing major economy in the world. closer in our home is indonesia. a quarter of a billion people are the world passes largest muslim majority nation. per capita gdp has increased more than 50% over the past decade.

want to make the most of these opportunities on our doorstep. we have championed the transpacific partnership and urge your congress to do so. we have signed or are working toward free trade agreements with all of the largest economies in the region. free trade is not just good for jobs. it is good for security. the more we trade, the more we rely on each other, the more our supply chain stretches across borders, and the more there is by security and order on which it is founded. i will turn specifically to the china u.s. relationship. let me remind us again there is a lot more to the asia-pacific band china. the 1.4 billion,

there are people living in the nations of southeast asia alone, not to speak of 127 million in japan. the third largest national economy. 50 million in south korea and 1.7 billion in the indian subcontinent. there is so much to offer in the region. china is vitally important. it is the largest economy in the region. by a long way. gained fromh to be strengthened china cooperation. progress on ineffective global response to china -- to climate change would not have been achieved without them seeing eye to eye, nor could a settlement with iran on its nuclear program. the road to any lasting resolution of the threat to north korea passes through beijing as well as washington. the united states, china, on all the world hasgree

benefited mightily from the rise. toall agree the biggest risk that is conflict. and the disruption that would bring. post central is the asia-pacific to the world economy, global stability, but the preservation of international order and the peace it brings has been a consistent and central objective of the united states and australia. -- chinases president passes president says chinese to avoid the trap referring to the after relating the rather competition events that led up to the peloponnesian war, observes bluntly and shrewdly that the real course was a growth of the power of athens and the alarm inspired in sparta, they were inevitable.

avoiding the trap is a core objective of china's strategy. would hope china's actions would be carefully calculated to seek to reassure build confidence. shoulditimacy of claims be a secondary consideration when that objective is focused on. , nor doa has no claim we make any judgment on the legitimacy of any competing claims. we urge all parties and not just china to refrain from the militarization. we do so because unilateral action are in nobody's interest. they are a threat to the order

of the region on which economic growth and national security of these differences should be resolved by international law. we attended as observers the hearing in the hague in the case wrought by the philippines under the u.n. convention of the law of the seat. -- law of the sea. we look forward to learning the outcomes. we also look forward to, i the united states ratifying the united nations convention on the law of the sea. the u.s. already observes the treaty and is crucial for resolving potential flashpoints on many parts of the globe. hurts americann leadership where it is needed. let me conclude with book five --