Trump London protests - as it happened: President denies taped criticism of May as '100,000' protest US leader in London
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has insisted the ‘special relationship’ between Britain and the United States is “the highest level of special” as he addressed reporters alongside prime minister Theresa May at Chequers.
The president described Brexit as an “incredible opportunity” and said whatever Britain does after leaving the European Union was “OK with me” – hours after telling The Sun newspaper that Ms May’s plan may “kill” any trade deal between the UK and the US.
Responding to questions about the interview, Mr Trump described the report as “fake news,” while Ms May added the pair had discussed plans for an “ambitious” trade agreement.
Following his Chequers meeting, Mr Trump headed to Windsor Castle to meet the Queen. But the president quickly defied royal protocol by walking ahead of the monarch during an inspection of the Coldstream guards.
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Despite the humiliating interview, in which Mr Trump said the prime minister “didn’t listen” to his advice on Brexit, Ms May praised the American leader for “making tough calls and saying things that others would rather not say”.
“From the outset, President Trump has been clear about how he sees the challenges we face and on many we agree,” she added.
The second day of the American leader’s visit to the UK was marked by mass protests across Britain, with a huge blimp depicting him as a baby wearing a nappy flown by demonstrators in London.
The six-metre inflatable caricature took to the skies in Westminster as tens of thousands of demonstrators prepare to march through London’s streets.
Protests were also planned to take place outside Chequers and in Scotland, where the president leader will arrive on Friday evening after having tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Mr Trump was heavily critical of the proposed EU deal thrashed out by Ms May her cabinet, warning it would “probably kill” any future UK-US trade agreement.
The US leader said he would have done the negotiations “much differently” and claimed the prime minister had not listened to his advice.
Mr Trump’s comments were condemned by a number of MPs, including the universities minister Sam Gyimah, who tweeted: “Where are your manners, Mr President?”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has responded to Donald Trump's visit so far. Here is a taste of what he had to say.
On Mr Trump's criticism of London mayor Sadiq Khan: "It is quite without precedent and quite unreasonable the way Trump treats London and treats Sadiq Khan."
He went on: "When a terrible incident happened... then surely you should recognise that the police and community have a job to do and what Sadiq has sought to do is bring people together in unity to keep London together, just as happened after 7/7 all those years ago.
"The statement by Donald Trump condemning the mayor and then going on with a general condemnation of Muslim migration into the United States is not helpful, in fact is very dangerous to community relations, and I think the statement that Sadiq has made in response is very good."
On the president's praise for Boris Johnson: "It's a very strange thing to do, to come on a visit to another country, to meet that country's prime minister, and then announce that you would like to see as her successor a person who's just resigned from her government.
"Well, Johnson resigned for the reasons that he gave, that is Johnson's business, that is Theresa May's business to respond to, it really isn't anything to do with Donald Trump."
On rolling out the red carpet for Mr Trump: "Personally I don't think we should have been rolling out the red carpet for Donald Trump.
"We should be having meetings with the US Government, the administration, as we always should, as we should with every other government in the world.
"We have to relate to other governments but you've got to be clear what you're doing.
"Are we rolling out the red carpet uncritically or saying, hang on, there are issues where we fundamentally disagree?"
A damning critique of Theresa May by outspoken Labour MP David Lammy.
The Queen has come out of Windsor Castle in preparation to meet Donald Trump. A penny for her thoughts.
Police will be flooded into central London on Saturday amid fears two protest marches – one in support of jailed far-right leader Tommy Robinson, the other welcoming US president Donald Trump – could combine and turn violent.
Specially trained officers will patrol the processions after a previous demonstration in support of the EDL founder saw metal barriers and bottles being thrown at police.
Scotland Yard has already imposed restrictions on where the protestors can go “in order to prevent serious disorder and disruption to Londoners”.
Much like Theresa May at Chequers on Thursday night, the Queen is being forced to wait a rather long time for Donald Trump's arrival here, though she seems calm and can be seen laughing as she chats with aides.
Meanwhile, the BBC have shared a rather scathing sign back at the protests in London.
Donald Trump has met the Queen, this time bang on schedule at 5pm. Everything appears to go off without any initial hitch.
With impeccable timing, US news is reporting the special counsel, Robert Mueller, and the Justice Department visited a US courtroom to return a grand jury indictment related to the investigation into Russian meddling in the American election.
A rather more terrifying Trump balloon than the infamous inflatable baby is being dragged along at the protests in central London.
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