A Kent MP says that the Commons speaker John Bercow was right to speak out over the planned state visit by President Trump.

Veteran North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale said President Trump had yet to achieve anything that merited him being invited to speak at Westminster Hall or to both Houses of Parliament.

He also said he shared the view that the President was racist and sexist.

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He said: “Whether you think the Speaker was wise to say what he said in the way he said it and where he said it, I think he reflected a very wide body of opinion on both sides of the House of Commons.

“People feel very strongly indeed that the Commons and particularly Westminster Hall is a place where special people are invited as guests.”

The MP said that any invitation to speak there was generally only afforded to people who had achieved something.

“President Trump is a very new president and traditionally people have had to achieve something in public life before they are invited to speak in Westminster Hall.

“You have to remember that we have a special relationship with the United States and that is important to us and important to them but that relationship is with the country not one President.

“President Trump seems to think it is a special relationship with him. It’s not, it is with the USA.”

Asked if he shared the view that Trump was racist, he said: “I certainly do share the view that Trump is racist and sexist and frankly I find that unattractive.”

Speaker John Bercow caused controversy when he told MPs that he did not believe that Mr Trump should be invited to address both Houses of Parliament.

He said it was "not an automatic right", but an "earned honour".

“I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons," he told MPs.

Another Kent MP, Dartford's Gareth Johnson, admitted that he was not a fan of President Trump but said it was in the best interest of the UK to work with him.

“It is important to recognise Donald Trump was democratically elected by the United States which is probably our closest ally," he said.

"I’m not a fan of Donald Trump but I think it’s right he has been formally invited to the UK and we need to work with him in the interest of both countries.

“Clearly the Speaker of the House of Commons should remain above politics.”

Gravesham MP Adam Holloway added: "Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States. His promised this unwise 3 month travel ban to the American people, and they voted for him. He is doing what he said he would do.

"Whilst I don’t like what he is doing, should we not – in this sense only – be pleased when politicians actually do what they said they were going to?

"Further, whilst I would not have voted for Mr Trump, we should look to ourselves over here. He divisive travel ban is only a reaction to the chaos unleashed on the peoples of Iraq, Syrian and Libya by stupid decisions made by our own politicians."