LONDON — Donald Trump's state visit to the UK has reportedly been postponed due to fear of the huge public anger he would face were he to arrive in the country within the next few months.
Trump's arrival had been scheduled for this June. However, the Sun newspaper reports that the White House has agreed to delay it until October in order to allow the row over his visit to "die down."
"Trump still really wants to come this year, but he wants the heat to die down a bit first," a government source told the paper.
The prospect of a state visit by Trump has already caused huge public protests right across the UK, with tens of thousands gathering in cities and towns across Britain to voice their opposition.
Campaigners against Trump's visit today described the news as a "huge victory" and promised more to come.
—Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) March 1, 2017
"Whether he comes in Spring or Autumn, or to London, Birmingham or Scotland, we will meet him in huge number to say that the politics of hate and prejudice is not welcome here," a spokesperson for the Stop Trump Coalition said.
Not welcome in Parliament
Last month the House of Commons speaker John Bercow was applauded in Parliament after effectively banning Trump from addressing parliamentarians.
MPs also took part in several hours of debate about Trump's visit during which he was labelled a racist, sexist and somebody with "protozoan" levels of intelligence.
A UK government source told the Sun that "the White House watch what happens over here surprisingly closely, and they don’t want to create a scene for our sake either."
Ministers had initially considered moving the state visit to a private event in Birmingham, just over 100 miles from London, where they believed the president would receive a less harsh welcome than in the capital.
However, that plan now appears to have been jettisoned with the visit now pencilled in for October 5th to 8th, when MPs will be on recess from Parliament. The date would also allow Trump to visit the Queen at her Balmoral retreat in Scotland.
A spokesperson for the Stop Trump Coalition said the delay would not quell the protests against his visit:
"The tens of thousands who have already protested against Trump’s visit have had a real effect – Trump’s visit will be delayed until at least October to ‘let the heat die down’. But we promise that it’s only going to get hotter. The opposition to this state visit, and to Trump's policies, is growing every day. Whether he comes in Spring or Autumn, or to London, Birmingham or Scotland, we will meet him in huge number to say that the politics of hate and prejudice is not welcome here."
"Theresa May has badly miscalculated. The British people don’t want this racist, misogynist billionaire anywhere near them. At the same time as showing out support to all those Americans battling this dangerous president, we will also show our own Prime Minister that she has no mandate to draw us closer to Trump or the other extreme right-wing leaders she is currently courting."
"This was never just about the state visit. Every day the British government gets closer to Trump in its policies - from refusing to guarantee the basic rights of EU migrants, to ending the Dubs Amendment scheme for child refugees. We urge people to join a growing movement that fights for the rights of migrants and minorities - for an inclusive and democratic society."
