As the new US administration moves to enact a series of ever-more discriminatory policies, and as the material consequences of those policies begin to be felt around the world, those of us based in the UK face an additional blow as they watch their government throw its lot in with Trump’s.

In response to this blow, we, a group of UK-based legal academics and academic support staff, decided that one relatively straightforward action we might take, as the first step in a wider strategy of resistance, would be to draft an open letter of protest to the Prime Minister. This initiative was born at Kent Law School and has been supported by colleagues at universities across the country.

Here is the letter. If you would like to join us in signing it, please click on this link and add your name to the list of signatories. From now until 6.00pm on Sunday, 5 February, the letter will be open for any member of a UK university to sign. After that date, it will be sent with all signatures to the Prime Minister and to other media outlets.

Please share the link to the letter as widely as possible amongst your colleagues.

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Dear Prime Minister,

We would like to express our collective dismay at your decision to align the British Government with the administration of the new President of the United States, Donald Trump.

President Trump’s recent actions have serious domestic and global implications. Among the most alarming are his openly discriminatory decisions to block immigrants and visa holders from seven Muslim-majority states from entering the US and to suspend the US’s Syrian refugee admissions programme indefinitely; to insist on the construction of a wall along the US-Mexican border, threatening Mexican goods with a 20 per cent import duty (notwithstanding US commitments under NAFTA) if Mexico does not pay for it; to suspend federal funding to any US global health organisation willing to discuss issues surrounding abortion with its clients; to freeze federal support for the US Environmental Protection Agency, threaten a US exit from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and throw his weight behind the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipeline projects; to voice his support for outlawed torture techniques including waterboarding; and to threaten or dismiss (in the case of the acting Attorney-General, Sally Yates) any member of the US legal and judicial establishment who questions the legitimacy of his government’s measures.

While many of these actions were anticipated during his campaign, much more surprising is your decision as British Prime Minister to refrain from expressing clear opposition to the Trump government on behalf of the UK as a whole, even as Trump puts his promises into action, bringing tens of thousands out onto the streets in protest in the UK and across the world.

We would like to remind you that seeking to realign the UK with the US while breaking its ties with Europe will be a disaster not only for the British economy and the NHS, but also for:

• Britain’s already-tarnished reputation as an open, multicultural society capable of supporting vulnerable individuals and communities and acknowledging its imperial past;
• The safety of UK citizens, residents and civilians worldwide, now more vulnerable than ever to forms of extremism and nationalism, including white supremacism;
• The resilience of an international order founded, however imperfectly, on a commitment to the equality of individuals and states; and
• The possibilities available for thinking differently about the challenges of the twenty-first century and, in particular, about the extent to which those challenges are reproduced by the ‘solutions’ on offer in such a profoundly skewed international order.

The alacrity with which Trump has put in place, by Presidential decree, a swathe of openly racist, xenophobic, misogynistic and homophobic measures, together with the President’s total disregard for existing US commitments under international law, indicate that the British Government’s decision to renew its ‘special relationship’ with the United States at this time can only lead, in the short-term, to further suffering and discrimination. We can only hope that this self-serving programme will, in the long-term, set in motion a demand for real change that governments and communities across the world will be forced to answer.

With this in mind, we call on you not only to cancel Trump’s invitation to visit the UK but also, and more fundamentally, to withdraw the support of the British Government for the United States more generally until these indefensible policies have been reversed and disavowed. If you do not, we fear that the UK will find itself, like Trump, on the wrong side of history, with serious consequences for us all.

Yours sincerely,

Legal academics and professional staff across the UK

Signatories (as of 01/02/17)

1. Aaron Wu, London School of Economics and Political Science
2. Abenaa Owusu-Bempah, City, University of London
3. Ahmed Raza Memon, Kent Law School
4. Alessandro Pratesi, University of Chester
5. Alexander Gilder, City, University of London
6. Allison Wolfgarten, City, University of London
7. Amanda Perry-Kessaris, Kent Law School
8. Amandine Garde, University of Liverpool
9. Amel Alghrani, University of Liverpool
10. Ana Laura Cannilla, University of Reading
11. Andrea Antonino Silipigni, Kent Law School
12. Andreas Marcou, Queen Mary, University of London
13. Andreas Philippopoulos-Mihalopoulos, University of Westminster
14. Andrew Choo, City, University of London
15. Andrew Sanger, University of Cambridge
16. Angeliki Papantoniou, Queen Mary, University London
17. Ania Zbyszewska, University of Warwick
18. Anna Grear, Cardiff University
19. Anna Marie Brennan, University of Liverpool
20. Anneli Albi, Kent Law School
21. Annette Morris, Cardiff University
22. Aoife Daly, University of Liverpool
23. Ashleigh Keall, University College London, Law
24. Basak Ertur, School of Law, Birkbeck
25. Ben Hunter, University of Greenwich
26. Bernadette Rainey, Cardiff School of Law and Politics
27. Bill Bowring, School of Law, Birkbeck
28. Bríd Ní Ghráinne, University of Sheffield
29. Candice Mtwazi, Kent Law School
30. Carl Stychin, City, University of London
31. Catherine Hill, City, University of London
32. Catherine O’Rourke, Ulster University
33. Chris Lloyd, Oxford Brookes University
34. Christine Schwöbel-Patel, University of Liverpool
35. Claire Green, Queen Mary, University of London
36. Colin R Moore, Kent Law School
37. Connal Parsley, Kent Law School
38. Craig Purshouse, University of Liverpool
39. Daniela Nadj, Queen Mary, University of London
40. Darren Dinsmore, Kent Law School
41. David Herling, City, University of London
42. David J Hayes, The University of Sheffield
43. David Meyrick, Carers Hub Lambeth
44. Davina Cooper, Kent Law School
45. Diamond Ashiagbor, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
46. Didi Herman, Kent Law School
47. Donal Casey, Kent Law School
48. Donatella Alessandrini, Kent Law School
49. Eddie Bruce-Jones, Birkbeck College
50. Edward Fairhead, Kent Law School
51. Eleanor Drywood, School of Law and Social Justice
52. Elena Loizidou, Birkbeck College
53. Emilie Cloatre, Kent Law School
54. Emily Allbon, City, University of London
55. Emily Grabham, Kent Law School
56. Emily Grabham, Kent Law School
57. Emily Haslam, Kent Law School
58. Emily Rose Hay, Queen Mary, University of London
59. Emma McClean, University of Westminster
60. Enkelejda Koka, Kent Law School
61. Enrico Bonadio, City, University of London
62. Eric Heinze, Queen Mary, University of London
63. Eric Loefflad, Kent Law School
64. Eva Nanopoulos, Queen Mary, University of London
65. Eyal Benvenisti, University of Cambridge
66. Frederick Cowell, Birkbeck College
67. Gabriel Gari, Queen Mary University
68. Grietje Baars, City, University of London
69. Guido Westkamp, Queen Mary, University of London
70. Hayley Gibson, Kent Law School
71. Helen Stalford, University of Liverpool
72. Helene Tyrrell, Newcastle Law School
73. Henry Jones, Durham University
74. Hyo Yoon Kang, Kent Law School
75. Iain Frame, Kent Law School
76. Illan rua Wall, University of Warwick
77. Ioannis Kalpouzos, City, University of London
78. Isobel Roele, Queen Mary, University of London
79. Jack Clayton Thompson, University of Westminster
80. Jasper van Dooren, Kent Law School
81. Jastine Barrett, University of Kent
82. Jeanette Nicholas, University of Westminster
83. Jess Duggan-Larkin, University of Exeter
84. Jessie Hohmann, Queen Mary, University of London
85. Jo Bingham, City, University of London
86. Jo Shuttleworth, University of Chester
87. Joanne Pearman, Kent Law School
88. John Strawson, University of East London
89. Jonathan Austin-Jones, Kent Law School
90. Jonathan Griffiths, Queen Mary, University of London
91. Jose Miola, University of Leicester
92. Josephine Uwineza, Kent Law School
93. Judy Fudge, Kent Law School
94. Julie Bacon, Queen Mary, University of London
95. Julie McCandless, London School of Economics and Political Science
96. Kate Malleson, Queen Mary, University of London
97. Kathryn Allinson, Queen Mary, University of London
98. Keith Simpson, City, University of London
99. Kevin Warne, Queen Mary, University of London
100. Kirsty Horsey, Kent Law School
101. Ksenia Bakina, Queen Mary, University of London
102. Kumari Lane, Queen Mary, University of London
103. Laura Pritchard-Jones, Keele University
104. Laura Wares, Kent Law School
105. Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne, University of Reading
106. Lionel Bently, University of Cambridge
107. LJB Hayes, Cardiff University
108. Lucy Finchett-Maddock, University of Sussex
109. Luis Eslava, Kent Law School
110. Luke McDonagh, City, University of London
111. Lynne Townley, City, University of London
112. Mairead Enright, Birmingham Law School
113. Marco Longobardo, Westminster University
114. Maria Drakopoulou, Kent Law School
115. Maria Federica Moscati, University of Sussex
116. Maria Sheppard, Queen Mary, University of London
117. Marie Aronsson-Storrier, School of Law, University of Reading
118. Marie Fox, University of Liverpool
119. Mark Van Hoecke, Queen Mary, University of London
120. Markus Gehring, University of Cambridge
121. Max Brookman-Byrne, University of Reading
122. Mayur Suresh, School of Oriental and African Studies
123. Mazen Masri, City, University of London
124. Megan Donaldson, University of Cambridge
125. Michalis Zivanaris, Kent Law School
126. Mitchell Davies, Truman Bodden Law school
127. Mohammad Shahabuddin, Birmingham Law School
128. Monica Bonaccorso, Queen Mary, University of London
129. Moriom Khan, Queen Mary, University of London
130. Nadine El-Enany, Birkbeck College
131. Nathan Moore, Birkbeck College School of Law
132. Nicky Priaulx, Cardiff School of Law and Politics
133. Nigel Duncan, City, University of London
134. Nikki Godden-Rasul, Newcastle University
135. Nora Honkala, City, University of London
136. Paul Gragl, Queen Mary, University of London
137. Penny Green, Queen Mary, University of London
138. Per Laleng, Kent Law School
139. Peter Fitzpatrick, Birkbeck Law School
140. Prabha Kotiswaran, King’s College London
141. Rae Bowdler, City, University London
142. Rob Merkin, University of Exeter
143. Robert Herian, The Open University
144. Rosa Fernandez-Riveira, Queen Mary, University School of Law
145. Ruth Fletcher, Queen Mary, University of London
146. Ruth Neligan, BPP University Law School
147. Sally Sheldon, Kent Law School
148. Samantha Currie, University of Liverpool
149. Sara Kendall, Kent Law School
150. Sara Ramshaw, University of Exeter Law School
151. Sarah Gale, City, University of London
152. Sarah Heath, Queen Mary, University of London
153. Sarah Keenan, Birkbeck Law School
154. Sarah Lamble, School of Law, Birkbeck
155. Serena Natile, Kent Law School
156. Silvana Cristina Tapia, Kent Law School
157. Simon Flacks, University of Westminster
158. Simon Thorpe, University of Warwick
159. Sinead Ring, Kent Law School
160. Solange Mouthaan, University of Warwick
161. Stephen Skinner, University of Exeter
162. Stephen W Smith, School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University
163. Surabhi Ranganathan, University of Cambridge
164. Suzanne Francis, University of Chester
165. Sydney Parfitt, Kent Law School
166. Tanzil Chowdhury, University if Manchester
167. Tara Mulqueen, University of Warwick
168. Tarik Kochi, University of Sussex
169. Toni Williams, Kent Law School
170. Valerie Fogleman, Cardiff University School of Law and Politics
171. Vanja Hamzić, SOAS, University of London
172. Veronica Lachkovic, City, University of London
173. William Wilson, Queen Mary, University of London
174. Yutaka Arai, Kent Law School
175. Yvette Russell, University of Bristol Law School
176. Yvonne Galligan, Queen’s University Belfast