The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
New US embassy opens in London without Trump
The new US embassy in London has officially opened days after hitting back at Donald Trump for suggesting its move to a new location was a “bad deal”.
The US President cancelled a visit to the UK to open the new embassy, criticising its move from Grosvenor Square in Mayfair to an “off location” at Nine Elms, south of the Thames.
But last week a US embassy spokesman insisted it was completed within its $1 billion (£730 million) budget and said the plan to finance it was developed in 2007, when George W Bush was in the White House, suggesting Mr Trump was wrong to blame predecessor Barack Obama.
Reports have suggested Trump may have called off his trip because he felt he had “not been shown enough love” by the British Government.
Mr Trump’s cancellation of his visit left the Government and London City Hall at loggerheads last week as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of endangering the so-called “special relationship”.
Johnston also told The Guardian that: “For Jeremy Corbyn to say that this (special) relationship doesn’t matter, is I think, insanity and irresponsible.
“And to try to banish the president of the United States from visiting the UK when he’s had trips to France, to Germany, to Japan, to China, is, I think, for the Labour Party extremely odd.
“It’s a crucial relationship, and it’s a very positive relationship.”
On the prospect of a visit from Mr Trump, Mr Johnson said: “I think that we will have a visit in due course.”