Trump's UK visit

It's easy to look the details up so I won't repeat it again here but well before Donald Trump's bid for presidency, he was upsetting people here in the north east of Scotland with his broken promises on jobs and conservation, appalling treatment of neighbours and general high handedness around his new golf course at Menie. He's not just the POTUS, he's a businessman who has not relinquished command and control of his assets by putting them in a trust for the duration of his presidency (as was expected of every other president in the history of the U.S.). We, here, will still have to put up with him long after his tenure ends and any kind of honour bestowed now is a slap in the face to us, which would have been much easier to bear if he had morphed into a tweetless, more statesmanlike world leader whose word can be trusted and office is respected ... even by those who don't like him personally.

He can't even get it right about who made the decision to move the embassy and he's already indicated he won't come for a state visit if people are going to protest.

We are only kow towing to this man because we think we will get a deal from the U.S. and we are in a mess about Brexit. We need to get real.

Scotland sacked him as a global ambassador. Diplomacy demands that while he is POTUS he would still have to be made welcome in that office.

I like the silent back-turning idea. I like the thought of it being shown around the world as a sign that we ordinary people are not scared of how big his button is or of how much money he and his children have inherited.

I, too, feel sorry for the Queen and hope that Mrs May feels just the tiniest bit apologetic for her rush to sook up.

Urmstongran

I totally agree.

There are at least 7 reasons why trade with Trumps USA will be difficult.

1 Trumps protectionism- he has already pulled out of a number of bi-lateral deals, arguing that they do not put America first.

2 congress have a role in signing off trade deals and nothing will be fast tracked- essential if we ar3 to have any deal completed by Brexit

3Because the U.K. government is so unclear about what it wants future relationships with the EU to look like, the US will be reluctant to draw up any deals until it knows what this relationship will look like

4. There will be severe divergent regulatory standards which may mean we will have to loosen our standards.

5. Huge disagreement over USA companies access to the NHS

6. The US service sector will be difficult to open up and it is doubtful that they will allow access by British companies

7.negotating any free trade deal will take eons.

From open Britain

Agree completely with vampirequeen. It's my legal right to peacefully protest against anything I believe to be wrong - and I couldn't believe anything to be 'wronger' than Trump.
Also, can I be pedantic and point out that, although he won the Presidential election, he did NOT get the majority of the votes - Clinton got over 3 million more votes, but carried less states, and so lost the election...

I am with VampireQ all the way on this and we should be proud that we are able to protest, there are countries that can’t. He can’t even get his facts right on who decided to move the Embassy, do we really want to have this idiot as our best friend?

I think the best way of 'giving him what for' would be to turn up and turn our backs on him in silence. He doesn't like to be ignored.

Those links will always be there, but trade won’t and that is what matters to future generations.

Family and historic links, not all is about trade you know!

I think he is saving the visit until Harry's wedding ????

We have more links with the EU than anywhere else and not the US.

Do you honestly believe that the Toddler-in-Chief will cut the U.K. a good deal.

Get real

I have no problem with people protesting peacefully regarding something they feel strongly about, however, it is unfortunate that some of these protests are taken over by those who chose violent protest and as a result the message of the original protesters is lost

That’s rubbish Old Meg and just a bit of virtue signalling.
Yes, protest can be a tool for change ( for anything happening in the UK) which this Trump visit has nothing to do with, or as a protest about human rights with a foreign leader.Either way .....what would you be protesting about?
It has nothing to do with change here, and the US are not Iran or China etc so you are protesting that a democratically elected POTUS is visiting the UK ( and you don’t like him.)
Neither do I, but I won’t be protesting about a visit here( he has been to many countries so far on visits) and we have more links with the US than anywhere else.

He wanted to be invited to stay at the Palace me thinks.

Good, he was only going to officially open the US Embassy, no big deal if he comes to do that or not, it wasnt a State visit thank goodness.I felt sorry for the Queen, if it had been a State visit, but she would have of course have been the perfect hostess even then.

meg throughout the ages too there are always some who try to ban the right to protest by suggesting that things like “rent-a-mob” and “looting” are characteristic of these protests.

They are always ignored by those who wish to excercise their right. And a good thing too, otherwise what sort of country would we be?
North Korea I suppose.

I've never been part of a 'rent a mob' in my life. However I have protested against various issues and people. I'm not a bully. I have the legal right to peacefully protest.

Ignore what you will (after all it's your legal right to do nothing) but remember the words of Martin Niemöller.

It is the real fans of Trump I feel sorry for, like Gove and Trump

I think I detect a right-left wing split on the question of peaceful protest.

Right wingers, just accept the status quo and doff your caps and brand any protest as a chance for hooligans to loot and make the streets look untidy.

Left wing see it as a legitimate way to demonstrate disapproval and tp remind those on power they are elected to serve the people.

That’s correct MaisieD is indeed historically a way protesting. We have a right to peaceful protest and through such demonstrations of people power has come much social change. Though it would appear there are those who would deny this right, yet are happy to benefit from the actions of others.

radicalnan

dizzygran I completely agree with you.
What about countries with terrible human rights ( what about China) yes, there were some protesters, ( don’t know about GN posters being there) but I can imagine with a Donald Trump visit and the hysteria of social media there would be indeed a huge rentamob, milling about, yelling and generally enjoying themselves ( possibly a bit of light looting as well.)

Some people on here are SO uninformed! This was not a state visit, he was coming to officially open the new USA embassy! This visit has nothing to do with HRH. When and if DT eventually does visit on a state visit, we would do well to remember that HRH has welcomed many leaders of countries with appalling human rights records, she may very not wish to receive these people, but she is totally professional in her attitude at all times (love the monarchy or hate it) and we would all do well to emulate her.
gillybob, urmstongran, eazybee, quite!

Well, by your reasoning, radicalnan , a number of posters must have the hots for Corbyn, too...

'Taking to the streets to protest' is a good old British tradition which goes back to at least the 18th century 'bread riots' when people protested vigorously, and sometimes violently, about the increased price of bread caused by the combination of poor grain harvests and speculators hoarding grain in anticipation of getting higher prices as the shortages got worse.

Whether one approves or not it is a way for frustrated individuals to make their feelings very clear about policies and government actions if all other avenues fail.

Just saying....

Trump again. Methinks you ladies do protest too much.

Secretly you must have the hots for him, every day he features here and yet the world is beset by absolute despots and when they turn up, not a peep out of you.

Go on admit it, the orange hair, the fake tan, the small hands, you just lust after him and are not protestors at all, just a bunch of old groupies.