Theresa May 4

What is so concerning is that some have argued that we can no longer afford to hold to our values, or our moral values because we need a trade deal. We are undoubtedly being seen as needy by the likes of Trump and ripe for picking. Is this what we voted for?

We as a nation, rightly or wrongly are defined by our values, and by associating ourselves to Trump sends out a clear message to the world about how we view the Muslim nations.

By doing so we put ourselves in peril from terrorist activity, as does Trump, although he doesn't seem to have worked that out, - saying that, the countries who have the largest terrorist communities Afghanistan and Pakistan are not on his list.

May needs to stand up and show strength and determination, that we cannot tolerate such actions from a vicious, ignorant bully.

It shows that it all depends on your political viewpoints.....I would say that the PM had a very successful week, a potentially difficult meeting with Donald Trump safely negotiated, and ditto the meeting with Erdigan in Turkey.Because she gave a cautious and diplomatic reply( about the travel ban) is to her credit ( would you like Boris on the case?)A state visit later this year could do wonders to help trade deals with the US.If all Leaders of countries acted so 'nicely' ( in the original meaning of the word) as some posters who are free to say or do what their consciences dictate, then deals/meeting/ agreements/pacts would never be done.

FR Merkel has told him she doesn't like it and he phoned her several times but I don't think she will go to see him yet. She has an election coming up this year and now has Herr Schulz standing against her, going for her Job and the people like him.

Someone has to stand up to him. T.May is now the wrong person for the job. She would love to throw in the towel and stay in the EU. There she would have back up against Trump
Even if he does agree with some of the points they agree on. How long will it last? He says things and cancels them almost in the same breath. Like a 5 year old.
Our safety in his hands! Doesn't bear thinking about.
I wonder how long will she be able to stand it.

I wonder if the reason people like Herr Schulz is because he said " Some people in the apparatuses of Brussels are indeed far decoupled from the reality which confronts people on a day to day basis"

Margaret X

'FR Merkel has told him she doesn't like it and he phoned her several times but I don't think she will go to see him yet.'

How many phone 'calls' have they had?. I know they a call on Saturday but I thought that was there first call in all honesty. When were the other times 'Trump rang Merkel'?.
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To say you don't think she will go and see him, are you confirming Merkel has been asked to go to meet Trump.?
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'She would love to throw in the towel and stay in the EU'

Where/why have you established that is the case?
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You say the people in Germany like Martin Schulz. Do you think he could beat Angela Merkel?

We are perhaps slightly limited as to German affairs in our media coverage so interesting to hear these things from somebody living in Germany.

The sad thing is, roses, that had there not been a Brexit vote we wouldn't have to be kow towing to this monstrous man and begging for trade deals that are more than likely to involve having to accept lower safety standards on imported foodstuff (including accepting GM foods) and the sell off of the NHS to US companies. Being part of an EU trade deal protects us from all that at the moment. If we weren't 'leaving' it would have enabled us to keep our distance and be more positive in 'disapproving of his actions.

The same could be said about May's other 'cosying up' to Erdogan. His statement about accepting refugees felt a bit sickening when considered in conjiunction with his brutal repression of dissent and his steady progress to dictatorship.

For what it's worth, here is an assessment of May's recent invitation:

And then she invited him on a state visit, one of the greatest honours she can bestow and a sign of the British establishment's full embrace of the president. Britain has placed trade over principles many times before, and specifically in this manner. President Xi Jinping of China was given a state visit in 2015, much to the horror of human rights groups. He wandered round the country looking unimpressed while David Cameron, with pathetic eagerness, encouraged him to drink pints in a country pub. But at least that visit simply involved ignoring the long-established abuses in a state over which we realistically have little influence. Here, May was validating the path of a country over which we do have some influence as it embarked on an experiment in right-wing authoritarianism.

www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2017/01/30/trumped-may-left-damaged-by-early-contact-with-president

Leavers might well be rejoicing at the prospect of leaving the clutches of the evil EU but as a Remainer I am horrified at the prospect of falling into the clutches of states which are even more evil.

I cannot support this crawling to America, but No matter who was PM they would have to do the same , we can't afford not to, wonder which country is next on the list.

This Country needs America; we just have to live with Trump.

Yes Brexit has made us needy

Ha, ha yes of course - that'll be it!

Margaret X

'Leavers might well be rejoicing at the prospect of leaving the clutches of the evil EU but as a Remainer I am horrified at the prospect of falling into the clutches of states which are even more evil.'

Am I mistaken in believing you are resident in Germany?

I apologise if I am mistaken but if you are how are you a 'Remainer' were you able to vote? I thought there was an issue over voting rights abroad but I don't know what the facts are.

Maizie is your link to a left wing blogger by any chance?
The PM would have gone over there to congratulate Clinton had she won, just the same.Yes, good to remind of special bonds etc and try and get trade deals.Why not?
We will shortly be outside the EU and need to look to as many countries as possible, nothing wrong with that.

Unseemly haste on the PM's past. He is obviously an appalling misogynist and loose cannon.
The bully is in charge and you rush up to him panting "I'll be your friend. Come to my party! Will you be my bestie?"
Never a good look.

No, she got her visit in first, it's over and done with and other countries can now worry about whether or not to accept or issue invitations to the US President.

I really don't think T May considers Trump to be her new 'bestie'...what a strange think to think

Or thing even - although think makes sense too!

I love this 'unseemly haste' phrase where is it copied from, The Guardian ? It seems very vicars tea party /Jacob Rees Mogg language.

POGS I am a German citizen but born in Sheffield. I have lived here over 40 years and speak German fluently anad have a German family. I dont think I have ever said that I was a remainer as we had no vote but all the Brits I know were devasted that the Uk is leaving and we all pay for it with reduced pensions. I only get a small pension so its not serious for me.

Herr Schulz is SPD and a good man or woman was missing for SPD voters. He appeared on German Tv relaxed and smiling and has lovely wife and family. NOw with him at the helm the SPD may get enough votes to make a coalition with the Greens.

As to Fr Merkel she will stand up to Trump if she thinks it is the right thing to do. No womder he wanted Brexit. He's got the Brits where he wanted them. What a mess.

There was a cartoon in the paper here showing a prisoner tied up to a chair in front of a TV screen. His punishment was to have to listen to all Trumps paroles and speeches before becomimg president.

i like to use the full panoply of words offered by the English language if the occasion allows it. I assume the erudite membership of this discussion forum to be an appreciative audience when, perchance, the muse takes me.

No previous American President has been honoured with an invitation to a state visit to the UK in their first year of office. The Obamas came here in their third year.

What has changed? I cannot believe that anyone, let alone the royal family, think that Trump is deserving of this honour, so there must be another reason.

Could it be that our government needs to grovel to Trump in a way that previous governments never needed to when we were a significant nation on the world stage, a member of the world's largest and most successful trading bloc and we were able to deal with the USA on the basis of equality?

Someone's already suggested that it's all the fault of Brexiters on another thread, varian. Ages ago.

Ages ago? Do you mean before Trump was invited? Someone must be psychicl

Margaret X

Thank you for replying and I owe you an apology. I read the words in Maize D post and your name remained in my head re being a Remainer .

I wondered how you had voted.

I am still no clearer however as to some of the other questions raised and I was genuinely interested. I will assume the stuff about the phone calls, visiting Trump and Theresa May wanting to 'throw in the towel' over the EU are from the German Media .

I will be trying to follow as much of the German Election as possible but I have to rely on information from RT Today and Aljazeera usually for world news as I find the UK media pretty useless for coverage, they think we are not interested. Having said that the German Federal Election is a fair way off so perhaps I am being prejudiced.

You know very well that 'ages ago' is a figure of speech varian Sigh...

Jess you are now the official wordsmith for Gransnet, full panoply, indeed a cornucopia of slightly Jane Austen-ish phrases is awaiting your pleasure .
Listening to Rees Mogg on tv sent me into golden slumbers a few weeks ago, I need an audio cd of him speaking ( for those sleepless nights!)