LONDON – London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said that US President Donald Trumphad “got the message” from Londoners after cancelling his visit.
Trump had claimed he had scrapped the visit because he did not want to openthe new US embassy in the British capital, but Khan on Friday suggested thereal reason was because he would not be welcome, CNN reported.President Trump got the message from the many Londoners, Khan said. He saidhis countrymen love and admire America and Americans but find Trump’spolicies polar opposite to the city’s values, Khan said in a statementreleased on Twitter on Friday.
“Many Londoners have made it clear that Donald Trump is not welcome herewhile he is pursuing such a divisive agenda. It seems he’s finally got thatmessage. This reinforces what a mistake it was for Theresa May to rush andextend an invitation of a state visit in the first place.”
The Mayor said Trump’s visit would “without doubt have been met with masspeaceful protests”.
Large demonstrations are expected to accompany any visit to the Britishcapital by Trump, who is deeply unpopular here, said CNN.
A petition to stop Trump from making an official state visit to Britaingarnered over 1.8 million signatures in 2017, in a backlash over hiscontroversial travel ban.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson fired back at Khan on Twitter,saying on Friday that he would “not allow US-UK relations to be endangered”by the London Mayor, whom he referred to as a “pompous puffed up popinjayin City Hall”.
A UK official said on Friday that the invitation to Trump for a statevisit, first extended by May during her visit to the US early in Trump’spresidency, still stands, the CNN report said.
“The invitation for a state visit has been extended and accepted,” theofficial said.
The official drew a distinction between the state visit, which wouldinclude a visit with Queen Elizabeth II and royal trappings like a horseparade.
While a working visit, would include a meeting with May and otherdiplomatic formalities like opening the embassy.
After Trump declared his disapproval with London’s new US embassy as thereason for cancelling his visit to the city, Madame Tussauds placed awaxwork of the President outside the building, CNN reported. – Agencies