The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, has confirmed he will refuse to attend a state banquet with US President Donald Trump in protest at the war in Gaza. On Wednesday evening, Davey posted on social media that he was “boycotting the state banquet” to be held during the president’s state visit to the UK next month, “to send a message to both Donald Trump and Keir Starmer that they cannot close their eyes and wish away the humanitarian crisis in Gaza”. I'm boycotting the state banquet to send a message to both Donald Trump and Keir Starmer that they cannot close their eyes and wish away the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Donald Trump can stop this catastrophe in Gaza and get the hostages released. pic.twitter.com/fch91LU2Si — Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) August 27, 2025 In an article for the Guardian he added that, although the decision to absent himself from the dinner hosted by King Charles was not “something I ever wanted to do”, he claimed he felt a “responsibility to do whatever I can to ensure the people in Gaza are not forgotten during the pomp and ceremony, and to ensure the UK makes Trump’s personal responsibility for securing peace in Israel and Palestine an issue”. He continued: “I fear we could have a situation where Trump comes to our country, is honoured with a lavish dinner at one of our finest palaces, and nobody reminds him that he has the power to stop the horrifying starvation, death and captivities in Gaza. And no one uses this moment to demand that the US president pick up that phone to Netanyahu and the Qataris and do the right thing.” However, the Davey’s actions have been criticised by senior figures from Reform UK and the Conservatives. Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage told the JC that the announcement was “typical of Sir Ed Davey and the Lib Dems” and accused them of “competing for the anti-Israel vote”. Meanwhile, Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel accused Davey of showing “deep disrespect to His Majesty the King”. She added: “It shows appalling judgment. America is our closest ally and security partner, and the world's biggest economy. Ed Davey has once again proved he is not a serious leader and more interested in pathetic gesture politics.” One Labour source also told the JC that Davey’s actions demonstrate that he and his party were “just not serious”. They added: “This infantile, attention-seeking, gesture politics does absolutely nothing to help the people of Gaza and is quite frankly embarrassing.” President Trump and his wife Melania are set come to the UK on a state visit between 17-19 September and will be hosted by King Charles at Windsor Castle. The prime minister revealed the invitation, in the form of a letter from the King, in front of the assembled media in the White House during his own visit to the United States in February this year. Sir Keir Starmer hands an invitation from King Charles III for a second state visit to U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC.(Getty Images) September will mark Trump’s second state visit to the UK, having been invited by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2019. Trump was in the UK on a private visit last month where he met Sir Keir Starmer at his golf resort on the West Coast of Scotland. On that visit, Trump publicly disagreed with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Asked by reporters ahead of a meeting with Starmer whether he shared Netanyahu’s view that there was no starvation in Gaza, Trump said: “I don’t know. Based on television, I would say not particularly, because those children look very hungry. We’re giving a lot of money and a lot of food and other nations are now stepping up.”