Mike Johnson to address UK Parliament ahead of US 250th anniversary

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: USA Today

Jan. 8, 2026, 5:57 p.m. ET


WASHINGTON — On Jan. 20, House Speaker Mike Johnson will become the first sitting U.S. Speaker to address the United Kingdom's Parliament, in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary.

“As America begins its Semiquincentennial celebration, I will be happy to visit one of the great shrines of democracy itself, where the principles that launched the long struggle for American liberty were debated and refined,” Johnson said in a statement.

The United States declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776 and formally broke from the British Empire at the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783. Many U.S. Founding Fathers were born in North America, which was controlled by European monarchies at the time, but were heavily influenced by the writings of English Enlightenment thinker John Locke when crafting the country’s government.

Although Johnson will be the first sitting U.S. House leader to speak in front of Parliament, his speech follows a tradition of Congressional visits to the London body.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/08/mike-johnson-uk-parliament-us-250/88089714007/

[yorkster]

1. Oh goody...

[Polybius]

2. Why?

For what purpose would they invite him?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. ...

[ananda]

46. It's a complete mystery to me.

Why would anybody want to hear somebody
like that speak.

All he does is make you wanna puke.

[Skittles]

3. a Trump whore, waxing on about democracy

oh the irony

[llmart]

4. "waxing on about democracy"...

to the country that used to rule us and who we fought against to gain said democracy.

[Skittles]

5. well there's nothing wrong with that

we've both come along nicely.........OK I may be biased, I grew up there

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Good Grief! Aren't the British peeved enough at us already??

[2naSalit]

8. That's a pretty...

Raucous crowd, I hope they laugh at him and give him the business. It would totally be worth it if they did that. I would like to see that.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. I used to religiously watch "Question Time" on Sunday evenings on CSPAN

when the House of Commons would let whoever was the PM at the time, have it!!

(and it looks like their HOC chamber is probably half the size of the U.S. House chamber, so they are all smashed in there)

And more recently - I miss this guy -

[2naSalit]

10. He was a great Speaker!

Last edited Fri Jan 9, 2026, 10:45 AM - Edit history (1)

I have watched hours of Parliament and they can get pretty loud in their opposition, not like the US where each is given time but interruption isn't allowed. In the Parliament, they stand up and yell... I can see moses Grindr mike trying to live through that.

Could be pretty entertaining.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. He'll probably bring his gavel

so he can try to "get control".

[Dulcinea]

22. Will this be televised in the USA?

House of Commons TV/CSPAN? I'd watch just to see Tiny Johnson be yelled at by members of Parliament.

[mwooldri]

23. Probably it will be televised on CSPAN.

Certainly available worldwide on Parliament Live. BBC Parliament is good but it's UK only, so Im not advising you to get VPN software and not advising you to get BBC iPlayer to not watch BBC content.

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Commons

[BumRushDaShow]

25. Agree with mwooldri

CSPAN normally throws in programming showing Parliament. Obviously BBC would also probably cover it and I expect all kinds of streams will be set up on the 'net. Also what is left of PBS/NPR will probably stream.

[underpants]

31. "The right honorable gentleman is a jerk!"

The phrase "the right honorable gentleman is a jerk" refers to a notable exchange in the UK House of Commons in November 1991, during which the Speaker was forced to intervene to address the use of unparliamentary language.
During a heated debate on November 20, 1991, an unidentified Member of Parliament used the term "jerk" to describe another MP who was referred to with the formal honorific "right honorable gentleman" (which designates a member of the Privy Council).
The Speaker of the House at the time responded by saying:
"I am not sure whether 'jerk' is an entirely parliamentary expression. I have heard worse things here. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will refine his reference to the hon. Gentleman".

[BumRushDaShow]

32. ...

[Harker]

35. With Johnson, it'll be "ordure!"

[Rebl2]

41. Better yet

I hope nobody shows up to hear him speak.

[sdfernando]

42. Was just thinking the same thing

The PMs don't keep their feelings in check here. Its loud and as you say raucous. I hope little johnson (quite appropriate name) is soundly given the business.

[2naSalit]

44. Would certainly...

Make my day to see that!

[oasis]

12. "Will you walk into my parlor said the spider to

the fly”

[Orrex]

13. Presumably he'll have to pry his lips from trump's ass first

[bronxiteforever]

14. Maybe he will lecture the Brits on the evils of Charles Darwin

Or the fact that earth is only 6,000 years old.

[JustAnotherGen]

15. God damn it

I'm already embarrassed

[Ray Bruns]

16. I just want to know if they are going to have question. Time.

That would be beautiful.

[lonely bird]

17. Hmmm

Will they let him take his balls with him when he leaves to come home?

[Paladin]

18. There's just no end to America's humiliation.

Allowing that disgraceful little trump whore to appear before Parliament is just disgusting. It's a safe bet that shit-weasel Johnson will be reading a speech directly from trump and trump's goons, word-for-word. Everybody, brace yourselves. Hope the demonstrations in London are big and loud. Maybe Congress can get some meaningful work done, while Johnson is overseas.

[Baitball Blogger]

19. Erm, is this the bullpin where the elected officials in the seats are allowed to throw shade?

If so, this is going to be fun to watch.

[Vinca]

20. Hope they boo him. Loudly.

[OldBaldy1701E]

21. I won't say what I am thinking...

But I hope there are a few nations out there who are thinking the same thing.

[IcyPeas]

24. I think they allow members of the public in to watch. I hope he is heckled...

in that special british way.

Wonder if he'll meet with Nigel farage or other right wing racists.

I hate when trumpers go to England and Scotland. Trying to influence brits.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

26. I hope he studies a bit of "British English", ...

... so he can request a nice couch or sofa or davenport or settee.

His visit should be a total shit-show.

[snowybirdie]

27. Can they yell

and heckle him,like they do their own members? Hope so.

[marble falls]

28. This'll be fun. The UK press will have him for a snack.

[bucolic_frolic]

29. This is not The Onion or Borowitz???

The worst idea ever

[choie]

30. Stupid ass Brits

[BradBo]

33. UK, lock the door! DO not let that traitor in.

[Scrivener7]

34. Hope they rip him to shreds.

[Joinfortmill]

36. He'll be booed.

[barbtries]

38. he's one of those,

and the list keeps growing, that I cannot bear to listen to him talk. it's all bullshit. it'll all be bullshit then. it's a charade and grieves me more than a little that the UK is signing on to that.

[barbtries]

37. at this moment,

I don't see it as an anniversary. I see it as a funeral.

i mean, i still celebrate my daughter's birthday, going on 25 years after she died. but the USA? what will we celebrate on the 250th anniversary of our democracy in a country where democracy is essentially gone?

[Miguelito Loveless]

39. Apparently the UK government

is welcoming fascism. It will be the next to fall.

[jls4561]

40. Perhaps Larry the cat will recognize him for the vermin he is, and exterminate him.

[Smilo]

43. Disgusting - shouldn't be allowed

They should arrest his ass.

[Emrys]

45. I think people here have very unrealistic expectations of the sorts of receptions even unpopular foreign figures receive

when addressing Parliament.

Catcalls, heckling and booing are extremely unlikely. More likely the most you can hope for is that there will be a major boycott of his address and some pointed criticisms in interviews outside Parliament.