PA photo
By
Hazel Speed
The proposed State Visit of President Trump to the UK must in my opinion go ahead at some stage, for a host of reasons.
The link herein outlines how the Invitation was initiated by a Committee then the Government put the matter before Her Majesty The Queen who approved same, as Her Majesty is the actual Host on the day in the venue of Buckingham Palace.
During normal political times, what better way then for Mrs May, during her visit to The White House, to repay the trust and honour afforded to the UK by President Trump’s invitation to her as the first Leader of a foreign Country, to visit him in The White House after his Election and Inauguration by the American voters.
It was just Mrs May’s bad luck that whilst she was subsequently visiting Turkey, and in the middle of a press photo opportunity with their Leader, that the question was hurled at her repeatedly, concerning the breaking news of President Trump’s Executive Power utilised in respect of delaying or blocking immigration and/or visits to America by people from stated Countries and/or dual citizenships especially if any link of association was made to any of those Countries.
I must be getting old as it appears protocol seems to be a thing at the past. Mrs May was in the middle of a photo opportunity in another Country with another Leader having just secured an important and not inconsiderable deal that will benefit industry in the UK securing jobs and technical expertise, where was the propriety of the journalists?
Wisely, she replied as she did and was quite right that what President Trump does or does not do is a matter between him and the American people. (We are aware of a subsequent statement from No 10 confirming Mrs May’s stance and that of The Government following full knowledge of the facts and confirming disagreement with The President’s latest action).
We have recently been assured by Boris Johnson, UK Foreign Secretary, that clarifications have been obtained from Washington with regard to British Citizens including those with Dual Citizenships and Mr Johnson has outlined the same in Parliament today. Mr Johnson has grown in stature since his appointment as Foreign Secretary and now makes most impressive presentations and arguments.
I would concede that a more seasoned President would have ensured some space of time between Mrs May’s visit and his actions and announcement in this matter.
He may have hindered his cause regarding representatives of other Countries accepting a visit from him because of how it may backfire, as this political crisis of his making has done. That said, The President did have a mandate from the American voters to take the actions he has so far.
This was also reaffirmed in Parliament by another Conservative MP in that it was not down to the British Government to tell President Trump or America how to run their Country.
When we had a Chinese State visit, despite their Human Rights disregard, then surely America, as one of our biggest, if not ‘the’ biggest ally outside of The Commonwealth of Nations but complementary thereto, should be made most welcome.
In the world of politics we often have to work with Countries and their Leaders whether they are close to our ways and thinking or not.
In my lifetime I have seen or heard of services in St Paul’s Cathedral or elsewhere attended by the Great and the Good in the UK, despite the fact that guests of honour have been former dictators/future ones, and some people ‘hailed as saintly’ by most of our population but still thought as having blood on their hands by others who dare not rush to sign any comparative petitions.
Also, if the American proposed State Visit were to be cancelled then (a) it will embarrass Her Majesty The Queen (b) embarrass Mrs May and The Government after Mrs May’s great efforts during her successful visit to The White House and undermine her achievements (c) what will President Trump think of the UK and where will the Special Relationship stand then? (d) what does this tell the rest of the world and Europe amidst sensitive Brexit talks?
Perhaps it is more pertinent to say ‘they protesteth too much’ and somehow this is all about Brexit, a rose by another name, in that if the clamouring voices in UK Parliament cannot overturn our own Brexit vote to Leave Europe they are happy to make Mrs May and the Government pay for the actions of President Trump.
Orchestrated? – most definitely!
Hazel Speed
Photo (c) Hazel Speed – used by kind permision to Tuck Magazine
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