Sir David, thank you so much for joining
us here on Sky News. Your decision not
to go to the state banquet at the
invitation of the king has been
described as disrespectful.
>> Now, I have huge respect for the king.
This is a very difficult decision which
I've really wrestled with talking to my
wife actually praying about. But the
reality is Donald Trump is the one
person who could stop the horrible
famine in Gaza City, could get the
hostages released, could bring an end to
this whole horrendous humanitarian
crisis. And he can do that because he
has the power of the White House to
phone up Prime Minister Netanyahu and
tell him to stop. He can phone the
Qatari government and other Gulf states
so they can put pressure on Hamas to
release the hostages. So I didn't want
the uh visit of Donald Trump to pass
without him being reminded that he has
that power and pressure coming from a
public debate uh from both the British
public and politicians on the US
president. He has to act. Sir Davy, I'm
glad you mentioned Benjamin Netany and
Hamas of course who have agency in
stopping the violence in in Gaza. Uh but
this is being described as political
posturing. I mean, you're a member of
the privy council.
>> It's not at all. Um, when people have
seen on the on their television sites
the sites of uh young children, you can
see their skeletons because they uh are
suffering from starvation. You've seen
the lifeless bodies of children killed
by the queuing for food and water. And
you've seen the emaciated hostages
paraded by the appalling Hamas. Uh we
have to act. And the sad truth is that
it's Donald Trump who has the power.
He's the one man who can do this. And I
didn't want him to come to the UK
without being reminded as best I can
that he has that moral responsibility
frankly. And from what I'm picking up
from many people, there are people
across the political spectrum who who
agree with me and the Liberal Democrats
that it is Donald Trump, it is the
United States who has this power over
Netanyahu, over Hamas, albeit indirectly
uh to stop this horrendous situation. Uh
and uh that's why I've taken this action
very reluctantly. I've been to many of
the state banquetss. It's been a huge
honor to join the king and be on his
side. But I've written to him personally
explaining uh my thinking uh and uh it's
with deep regret that I've had to take
the decision. But I feel with what is
going on in Gaza uh it's the best way I
can get my voice heard.
>> Sarah Davyy as you mentioned there there
are many people across the political
spectrum who probably feel the same way
as you do but also who will respect the
king enough to go to this state state
banquet. I don't want to imagine what's
in the king's mind, but perhaps he feels
uh very upset about what he's seeing on
those screens, but he has to do his duty
as the the king. Don't you have a duty
as a member of the privy council to take
part in this invitation for the
president?
>> Well, I think my respect for the king
isn't under question. I huge respect for
him and the royal family and support for
our monarchy, our constitutional
monarchy. Um I have a different role uh
and that is as an opposition party
leader who um has been questioning the
prime minister on this pushing for
greater action. Uh Liberal Democrats
have a track record of arguing uh that
the government should do more but also
pointing out that the real uh power lies
with uh President Trump and having been
to these state banquetss. I know you
don't get a chance to speak to the head
of state who's visiting or even his
senior entourage. That's not how it
works regrettably. Uh uh you get seated
someone lovely who you get to speak to
but um unfortunately it's not someone at
the the top table. So this is the best
way and what I hope will happen is there
will be debate. I'm grateful for you
having me on your program so I can make
the argument to many people and when
Parliament gets back next week, I'll
continue to make that argument so that
Donald Trump is left in no doubt that uh
so many people in the UK are looking to
him to do the right thing.