Corbyn to lead protests against Trump
JEREMY CORBYN will today lead a demonstration against Donald Trump as he is accused of bringing “shame” on his party by trying to hijack the US president’s state visit.
The Labour leader, who harbours ambitions of being prime minister within months, promised to “stand in solidarity” with anti-trump protesters after he boycotted last night’s formal banquet hosted by the Queen.
Thousands of protesters are due to descend on Trafalgar Square in London where Mr Corbyn will deliver a speech about Mr Trump’s “misogyny and xenophobia”. It follows an extraordinary spat between Labour and Mr Trump, who described London Mayor Sadiq Khan as a “stone cold loser”. Mr Trump also belittled those planning to protest with Mr Corbyn, saying he had not “seen any protests yet” but adding: “I’m sure the Fake News will be working hard to find them.”
At the start of a three-day state visit, the US president and his wife, Melania, were welcomed by the Queen after Mr Trump’s helicopter landed in the garden of Buckingham Palace.
Following lunch with the Queen and other members of the Royal family, Mr Trump laid a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey. He later returned to the palace for the banquet, and gave a speech that avoided politics but concentrated on the “bond between our nations” forged “forever” during the Second World War. He made no reference to Brexit, but in a comment that could be interpreted as a message to the next prime minister he said that the sacrifice of Britons during the war “ensured that your destiny will always remain in your own hands”.
Attention will shift to politics today as Mr Trump meets Theresa May to discuss contentious issues such as Brexit, Huawei and a US-UK trade deal. He risked accusations that he was more interested in meeting the potential future prime minister than the incumbent after it emerged he would not hold one-to-one meetings with Mrs May despite dropping heavy hints that he would meet Boris Johnson in private today.
Downing Street denied Mrs May had been snubbed or that Mr Trump’s itinerary had been changed at the last minute, despite earlier White House briefings that the two leaders would have a “bilateral” meeting.
However, it was Mr Trump’s row with Labour that threatened to overshadow the visit yesterday.
Even before his arrival at Stansted Airport, he had posted insults from Air Force One about Mr Khan, who described him on Sunday as “a growing global threat” who used the language of “fascists”.
Mr Trump said Mr Khan had “by all accounts done a terrible job”, adding that he had been “foolishly nasty” to the leader of “the most important ally of the United Kingdom”. He added: “He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me.”
Comparing him to another of his political enemies, the president added: “Khan reminds me very much of our very dumb and incompetent Mayor of NYC, [Bill] de Blasio, who has also done a terrible job – only half his height.”
Mr Khan hit back by repeating his claim that Mr Trump was “the most egregious example of a growing farright threat around the globe”.
He was joined by Mr Corbyn, who announced he would attend today’s anti-trump demonstration and challenge his record on “climate change, misogyny and xenophobia”, according to a Labour spokesman. Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, and Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, will also be there.
Kate Hoey, the Labour MP, accused Mr Corbyn of a “hysterical response” to Mr Trump, while the independent MP John Woodcock, a former Labour MP, said Mr Corbyn was “a disgrace”.
Mr Trump’s visit is timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of D-day, and Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, said: “We have the president of the United States invited here by the Queen and it’s not about party politics, it’s about celebrating the close relationship where over the last 75 years we have seen unprecedented peace and prosperity. Shame on the Labour Party that they don’t recognise the big impact here.”
It was an unorthodox greeting by any measure. But somehow, when the president of the United States offered the Queen a makeshift handshake rather resembling a fistbump, it seemed only fitting for this most extraordinary of state visits. A slightly clumsy half-grasped hand from Donald Trump was met with a beaming smile from the Queen, setting the tone for a day in which the Royal family deployed their most charming hosting skills for America’s “First Family”.
It began and ended with a touch of Hollywood. As the Trumps flew over Buckingham Palace to land on the lawn, gusts of wind swept leaves from the trees and the sound of a gun salute echoed around them. As they dined that evening amid the white ties and
glittering tiaras of the British establishment, the orchestra played film scores from Chicago and West Side
Story to entertain their US visitors. If the Trumps had hoped for pomp and pageantry to mark their entrance to Britain, they could not have been disappointed. The state banquet, the crown jewel of the Royal family’s hosting duties, saw the president, his wife, daughter and son-in-law walking in the royal procession, with his three other adult children given goldcoloured seats at tables groaning with flowers, fruit and wine. Placed between aristocrats, diplomats, business leaders and the Queen’s family, honoured American guests ate from the silver gilt dining service from the days of George IV in front of pink and purple arrangements of peonies, roses and sweetpea.
A menu, written in French as per palace custom, detailed the starter of steamed fillet of halibut with watercress mousse, asparagus spears and chervil sauce followed by saddle of Windsor lamb with herb stuffing, spring vegetables and port sauce. Strawberry sable with lemon verbena cream followed, with a wine list including bottles of English sparkling wine from Windsor Great Park.
In reciprocal toasts, the Queen and president paid tribute to their respective countries and, in the case of Mr Trump, his neighbour’s “spirit of dignity, duty, and patriotism that beats proudly in every British heart”.
The Queen spoke of the “close and long-standing friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States”, making tactful reference to the current political turmoil by affirming: “As we look to the future, I am confident that our common values and shared interests will continue to unite us.”
Mr Trump, speaking afterwards, offered a long and fluent tribute to the Queen’s personal service to her country, emphasising the D-day victory he will help commemorate later this week and praising the Duke of Edinburgh – who was absent from proceedings in his retirement – and her father the late King.
Calling her a “great, great woman”, the president appeared to gently clap the Queen on the shoulder as guests rose for a toast, in a potential breach of protocol which she politely ignored.
The banquet was the culmination of a day of friendly activity designed to show off the UK-US relationship away from politics. The morning began with the roar of helicopters over the roof of Buckingham Palace. The American entourage spilt on to the lawns, moving quickly into the palace and up to a balcony where, unusually, a team including Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Kellyanne Conway watched the proceedings. The president and his wife followed from Marine One, with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall striding across the lawn for the formal greeting.
Handshakes were followed by a pat on the back from the Prince for Mr Trump and warm words between the two ladies, in an introduction to the three-day trip which will see them spend much time together.
With a 41-gun salute from the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Green Park ringing in their ears, they walked towards the Buckingham Palace steps where the Queen was waiting for her guests: the 13th American president and First Lady she has met during her long reign. It was a reunion rather than an introduction, after the Trumps paid an official visit to the Queen at Windsor last year, and the smile bestowed on them suggested pleasant memories of their first encounter.
Their exchange of hands, which looked unproblematic in person, was picked up instantly by those watching at home as looking like a “fistbump”: a delicately half-grasped hand between the Queen and Mr Trump so unlike his usual famously crushing handshake.
President Trump, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, was pointed towards the Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards, who have been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan with US troops. It was an unusually chatty inspection. The president, peering at the faces of guardsmen under their bearskin hats, seemed keen to ingratiate himself, stopping regularly for smalltalk as he walked along the line.
Mrs Trump, wearing a striking white suit with dark trim, waited with the Queen and Duchess of Cornwall on the steps, winning a battle between the blustery wind and her hat. Encouraged by the Duchess, who wore a white Anna Valentine coat and dress, Mrs Trump and the Queen were seen in convivial conversation as the men set to work.
Inside the palace, as droves of American and British press were shepherded away, there was lunch. The palace put an American twist on dessert with doughnuts and fruit, and the Queen was joined by her extended family and a US entourage for discussions intended to steer well clear of political controversies. The Duke of Sussex left baby Archie at home with the Duchess to take his place at the table, while the Duke of York, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Duke of Kent made up the royal contingent.
Next on the itinerary: a very personal tour of items from the Royal Collection laid out in the picture gallery and designed to celebrate the US-UK relationship from its earliest days. The Queen, who knows her collection inside out, took on the role of tour guide, with Mr Trump listening intently to her descriptions and nodding at whatever she pointed out. At moments, he crouched down to her height with his hands on his knees – giving the appearance of deference so unusual for this president.
The heads of state inspected eight tables of artefacts from the enormous Audobon’s Birds of America opened at the “bird of Washington” which seemed to amuse Mrs Trump, to the exchange of wartime papers illustrating the relationship between Churchill and allies. At a third table, directly in front of the watching press, the Queen pointed out an array of fabrics and photographs celebrating two of Mr Trump’s key loves: his mother and golf. The Macleod tartan was recognised immediately by the president as that belonging to his ancestors, with his Scottish mother Mary Anne emigrating to the US in 1930. “Thank you very much,” he said to the Queen, turning to the First Lady and explaining: “That’s my mother’s tartan.” Other items referenced Stornoway and the Isle of Lewis, where she grew up, with pictures of Edward VIII and George VI playing his beloved game of golf in voluminous trousers so old-fashioned they drew laughter from the Queen and her guests.
The Duke of Sussex, whose presence at the lunch was noteworthy not least because of his wife’s candid comments about Mr Trump before she married into the Royal Family, was also present at the exhibition, walking
‘The president, peering at the faces of guardsmen under their bearskin hats, seemed keen to ingratiate himself ’
‘The Queen, who knows her collection inside out, took on the role of tour guide, with President Trump listening intently’
into the room with Ivanka Trump. Breaking off from the main party as the viewing got under way, he drew comment for appearing to linger behind to speak to members of the British contingent, rather than seeking out displays closer to the cameras. The Prince of Wales and his wife took their own tour, flitting between tables while the Duke of York hosted Ivanka and Jared Kushner.
Tim Knox, the director of the Royal Collection who showed the president and First Lady around the exhibits, said afterwards that Mr Trump was particularly taken with two large paintings by Rembrandt and Van Dyck. He did not, however, recognise his own contribution to the collection so readily, appearing to forget the pewter horse he had given to the Queen as a gift when he last visited. “We asked him whether he recognised it and he said no, but the First Lady did recognise it, which is rather nice,” said Mr Knox. “One horse is very much like another.”
As the Queen took her leave to prepare for the state banquet, the Trumps and Duke of York made their way to the third engagement of the day at Westminster Abbey to pay tribute at the grave of the Unknown Warrior.
The service and tour were led by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, who said of Mr Trump: “He was very friendly. He’s very interested, very engaged… It was a good conversation.”
Writing in the visitors’ book to mark their visit, the president said in capitals: “Thank you so much. This has been a great honour. Special place.”
From there, it was on to tea at Clarence House. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were in jovial form, he picking up a stray flashbulb from a photographer and remarking it looked like an ice cream and she caught on camera winking at a member of her household. After a 90-second photocall the foursome disappeared behind closed doors for tea and talks. The Prince and president do not have much common ground, on wholly opposing sides of the climate change debate, but were thought to have had a friendly exchange of views in a planned half-hour visit extended to 45 minutes. And the verdict of the “First Family”? Clear and delivered, perhaps fittingly, on Twitter. “It was an incredible honour to meet Her Majesty the Queen, the longest ruling monarch in British history,” said Ivanka Trump. “Thank you for a warm welcome to the United Kingdom.”
“London part of trip is going really well,” Mr Trump said.
“The Queen and the entire Royal family have been fantastic.”
‘He was very friendly. He’s very interested, very engaged… It was a good conversation’