Portsmouth council boss says a state visit by Donald Trump would '˜embarrass' the Queen

DONALD Trump would '˜embarrass' the Queen if allowed a state visit to Britain, a council leader opposed to the American president's trip to the UK has said.
STAY AWAY: Visit by American president Donald Trump, above, is opposed.STAY AWAY: Visit by American president Donald Trump, above, is opposed.
STAY AWAY: Visit by American president Donald Trump, above, is opposed.

Portsmouth City Council boss Gerald Vernon-Jackson lashed out at the American chief over his controversial time as US leader.

The veteran Liberal Democrat said Mr Trump was ‘threatening’ core values essential to maintaining peace across the globe through his actions as president.

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Comments by Cllr Vernon-Jackson come as president Trump confirmed an historic summit with North Korea’s reclusive dictator, Kim Jong Un, on June 12.

Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of Portsmouth City Council. is against plans for Donald Trump to make a state visit to Britain.   PHOTO: Malcolm WellsCouncillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of Portsmouth City Council. is against plans for Donald Trump to make a state visit to Britain.   PHOTO: Malcolm Wells
Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of Portsmouth City Council. is against plans for Donald Trump to make a state visit to Britain. PHOTO: Malcolm Wells

The link is seen as a crucial stepping stone in finally bringing peace to the Korea, which has been torn apart by civil war for decades.

However, Lib Dem boss Cllr Vernon-Jackson claimed Mr Trump could destablise key institutions like Nato, the UN and the World Trade Organization.

Speaking to The News, Cllr Vernon-Jackson said: ‘These three pillars are really under threat from people like Donald Trump.

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‘We can’t let him destroy the systems that have made the world safer, more prosperous, systems that have taken 70 years to build.

‘His attack on free trade and countries working together for the common good means that we will all be poorer and less safe.

‘America is forgetting the lessons of the Second World War and going back to where they were in the 1930s – they’re choosing to give the leadership of the world to other people.’

Mr Trump is due to visit the nation on Friday, July 13. Although not an official state visit, plans are on the cards for the property magnate-turned politician to meet the Queen.

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Cllr Vernon-Jackson added: ‘Why should we be rewarding him and putting the Queen in an embarrassing situation where he is doing things that hurt this country, making the world less safe and are hitting economic activity?’

Yesterday the UK’s international trade secretary, Liam Fox, criticised a move by the US to impose new tariffs on steel and aluminium from the EU, branding them illegal.

The new policy means anyone in the US importing the metals from Europe will have to pay an additional tax.

President Trump claimed the move would protect US national security.

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But Dr Fox said it was an issue that prime minister Theresa May would be raising at the G7 leaders’ meeting next week.

The scheme will see a 25 per cent duty on European steel and a 10 per cent duty on EU aluminium – a move the PM said she was ‘disappointed’ at.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dr Fox said the UK was still seeking exemptions from the tariffs.

‘We will still be making that case throughout this week,’ he said.

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He added: ‘The United States believes, I believe wrongly and illegally, that this is a national security matter for the US.

‘Given that we export some pretty complex steel products to the United States which are part of their national security programmes themselves, this reasoning that is given is wrong and therefore we believe unlawful.’