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PM urged to step in after British Muslims banned from travelling to US

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An MP is lobbying the prime minister to step in after a British Muslim family were refused permission to board a flight from Gatwick to Los Angeles.


The family of 11, who were heading to LA to visit Disneyland, were approached by officials from US homeland security as they queued in the departure lounge and told their authorisation to travel had been cancelled, the Guardian reports.


They were given no further explanation as to why they were no longer being allowed to travel.


Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, has written to David Cameron on the issue after she “hit a brick wall” when trying to get a response from the American embassy.


She said she hoped the prime minister can press US officials for an explanation.


She added she was concerned that a growing number of British Muslims are facing similar experiences of being barred from the US without explanation or compensation, claiming she was in contact with at least one other consistent who had a similar issue.


Speaking to the Guardian, Creasy said: “Online and offline discussions reverberate with the growing fear UK Muslims are being ‘trumped’ – that widespread condemnation of Donald Trump’s call for no Muslim to be allowed into America contrasts with what is going on in practice.”


Creasy has also asked Cameron, in her letter, to clarify whether the UK monitors the number and ethnic or religious background of those who are stopped from travelling.


A Downing Street spokeswoman told the paper that Cameron would consider the issues raised in Creasy’s letter and respond in due course.

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