Jeremy Corbyn will speak at Donald Trump protest, Labour announces

Labour leader hails protest as ‘opportunity to stand in solidarity with those he’s attacked in America, around the world and in our own country’

Jeremy Corbyn will speak at the huge demonstration in London against Donald Trump’s state visit, it has been announced.

The Labour leader – who has snubbed the US president’s banquet with the Queen at Buckingham Palace – will join hundreds of thousands of people at the protest on Tuesday.

Earlier, Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, condemned Labour’s opposition to the pomp-filled visit as “virtue-signalling”.

But a Labour spokesperson said: “Jeremy Corbyn will attend and speak at the demonstration tomorrow against President Donald Trump’s state visit.

On Twitter, Mr Corbyn pointed to the US president’s extraordinary attack on the Mayor of London, as he arrived in the UK, as one of the reasons for his decision.

“Tomorrow’s protest against Donald Trump’s state visit is an opportunity to stand in solidarity with those he’s attacked in America, around the world and in our own country – including, just this morning, @SadiqKhan,” he said.

Mr Corbyn has already accused Mr Trump of an “entirely unacceptable interference in our country’s democracy”, after his eve-of-visit endorsement of Boris Johnson and praise for Nigel Farage.

The US president, meanwhile, used a newspaper interview to warn he would have “to know” Mr Corbyn before authorising the sharing of highly sensitive US intelligence with a government led by him.

He also told the Labour leader he would have to “get along with the United States” if he wanted Britain to continue to benefit from US military and intelligence support.

The Metropolitan Police is gearing up for the demonstration, which one survey found could attract anything up to one million people onto the streets of the capital.

Protesters are again hoping to fly the giant Trump baby blimp, which depicts the American leader as an infant wearing a nappy.

A 16ft talking robot of Mr Trump sitting on a gold toilet is also expected to make an appearance.

Supporters of Amnesty International will also unfurl five giant banners facing the US embassy, saying “Resist sexism”, “Resist racism”, “Resist hate”, “Resist cruelty” and “Resist Trump”.

Later, Mr Trump tweeted that the UK was giving him a warm welcome, saying: “Tremendous crowds of well wishers and people that love our Country.

“Haven’t seen any protests yet, but I’m sure the Fake News will be working hard to find them. Great love all around.”

Mr Hunt condemned Labour’s refusal to embrace the visit, saying: “I am afraid this is just virtue signalling by the Labour party.

“The reality is that we have the President of the United States invited here by Her Majesty The Queen and it’s not about party politics, it’s about celebrating the close relationship where over the last 75 years we have seen unprecedented peace and prosperity and I think it’s shame on the Labour party that they don’t recognise the big impact here.”