London: There are currently no plans for Donald Trump to visit Britain in the coming weeks, the UK government said Monday, damping down reports the US president is planning a flying visit to the country.
British media have reported that Trump might stop at his Turnberry golf course in Scotland after visiting Poland and attending a Group of 20 summit in Germany this week, and before he goes to Bastille Day celebrations in France on July 14.
Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman, James Slack, told reporters that “I’m not aware of any plans for the president to visit the UK in the next few weeks.”
Slack also said the invitation of a state visit for Trump, made in January, still stands. No date has been announced, and there was no mention of the visit in a list of government plans announced by Queen Elizabeth II last month.
Slack said “we will set out full plans in due course.”
The Guardian newspaper reported last month that Trump had told May that he doesn’t want to come to Britain if there will be protests.
Anti-Trump protesters have vowed to demonstrate even if he comes at short notice.
Owen Jones, co-founder of the Stop Trump Coalition, said the president “thinks he can sneak into the country to avoid protests.
“We have to prove him wrong. We’re asking Britain to be on standby to take to the streets with just hours’ notice if necessary.”
In early June, just after the UK general election, it emerged that Trump had told May he did not want to go ahead with the state visit until the British public supported his coming, fearing large-scale demonstrations.
After the latest rumours of a presidential visit, Jones placed his Twitter followers on high alert, tweeting on Sunday night: “Donald Trump is planning to sneak into Britain to avoid protests. RT if you’re willing to commit to protesting this bigot at short notice.”
Thousands responded by retweeting the post.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of the union Unison, which is a member of the Stop Trump coalition, said: “If Donald Trump thinks he can come here under the radar, then he’s wrong. He’s an intolerant and small-minded individual, who is despised by many.
“If he comes here, people will take to the streets to protest against his deplorable values, which fuel such hatred and division.”
Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now, also one of the members of the Stop Trump coalition, said: “We know Trump is now scared to come to the UK on the state visit which Theresa May foolishly offered him, because he will face one of the largest protests in history.
“This month’s visit, if it happens, is a way of him sneaking in the back door in the hope that he can save face for himself and May.
“But we’ll oppose him whenever and however he comes to the UK because Trump is very bad news on some of the most important issues humanity faces: climate change, migration, inequality, corporate regulation.
“We won’t allow Trump’s presidency to be normalised, and we’ll make sure Theresa May pays a political cost for supporting Trump and his politics of hate.” Simon Bullock, climate campaigner with Friends of the Earth, another member of the Stop Trump coalition, said: “It would be no surprise if Donald Trump arrived in the UK with little fanfare to try and avoid the huge public protests that a state visit is likely to generate.
“The US withdrawal from the Paris climate treaty is an international disgrace which puts the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the globe into jeopardy.
“Theresa May must make it perfectly clear that there will be no trade deal with the US while President Trump refuses to face up to his international responsibilities on cutting emissions.”
