President Donald Trump has always been vocal how special U.K. is to the U.S. and to Americans. The two world leader-countries, after all, have a long shared history together and continue their great cooperation on today's most pressing global concerns. No wonder then that the first world leader to have a state visit to the White House shortly after Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States was no less than U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May. In reciprocity and logical measure, Trump's first official state visit as President could potentially be to the U.K., too.
Trump's London visit is officially in the works, in fact, and we are all just waiting for the final date to be confirmed. There are some uncalled for noises being made by liberals and those from the opposition in the U.K. objecting to Trump's visit due to supposed controversies being associated with him including his executive order on a temporary travel ban for refugees and people from seven predominantly Muslim countries while the vetting system is being reviewed and improved by the Trump administration.
One of the most boisterous but unenlightened voices protesting the visit is Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, the very same opposition guy who campaigned hard for the country to stay in the European Union but was widely rejected by voters with the upset victory of Brexit. The EU-loving, if not apologist, Corbyn, just said today that Trump's visit to the U.K. should all together be scrapped. He minced no words in claiming that Trump should not be welcome in the U.K. because of his controversial policies and pronouncements. Corbyn said that his country in spite of being the closest of allies with the U.S. should be challenging Trump on international issues instead of rolling out the red carpet for him.
Corbyn also previously protested to Trump speaking to Parliament during his state visit to the U.K. Corbyn's hostile comments on Trump came as a Metropolitan Police Commissioner seemed to have wittingly or unwittingly confirmed Trump's visit by saying security is being beefed up for the planned visit in June. A June state visit, of course, would also rule out any chance for Trump to give a speech before the Parliament as it will be in recess at that time.
Nothing should, of course, come in the way for Trump's state visit to a good friend and close ally, a country and people he even glowingly describes as "special" to him and the U.S. And just as May was warmly received in the White House, so should Trump's reception be in 10 Downing Street. In all likelihood, it won't be a problem between Trump and May, or between Trump and majority of the American-friendly British people.
It is only a problem for losers like Corbyn whose Brexit loss was further magnified last night as Members of the House of Commons overwhelmingly voted to move a step closer to making Brexit a reality. May has earlier declared she wants nothing but a hard Brexit. Corbyn was heavily criticized for failing to put up a good fight, or even just a token fight at all, to last night's historic vote, highlighting all the more his humiliating additional defeat.
Commenting harshly on Trump's visit may be Corbyn's "smart" move to try to divert the issue from his sorry loss and focus the public's attention to a bigger issue like Trump. Unfortunately for him, both the British and American people are much smarter than he ever recognized, and as such won't fall for his pathetic ploy.
