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| Barack Obama tells young people they are key to changing the world | Barack Obama tells young people they are key to changing the world |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Barack Obama has urged young people to ignore cynics telling them they cannot change the world as he opened a town hall-style meeting in London. | Barack Obama has urged young people to ignore cynics telling them they cannot change the world as he opened a town hall-style meeting in London. |
| On the second full day of his visit, the US president addressed young people in Westminster and then took questions. | |
| Obama praised the close relationship between the US and the UK, which he said had improved dramatically since the British “burned down my house” – a reference to British troops’ torching of the White House in the war of 1812-1814. | Obama praised the close relationship between the US and the UK, which he said had improved dramatically since the British “burned down my house” – a reference to British troops’ torching of the White House in the war of 1812-1814. |
| Asked about the peace process in Northern Ireland, Obama said it was an example of what can be achieved when the US and Britain work together, and that he was pleased that “tribal mentalities” were being broken down. | Asked about the peace process in Northern Ireland, Obama said it was an example of what can be achieved when the US and Britain work together, and that he was pleased that “tribal mentalities” were being broken down. |
| The president is also meeting the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, following days of uncertainty. A meeting between a US president and the leader of the opposition would usually be routine during a trip to Britain stretching across three days, but Labour officials could not confirm such a meeting in recent days. | The president is also meeting the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, following days of uncertainty. A meeting between a US president and the leader of the opposition would usually be routine during a trip to Britain stretching across three days, but Labour officials could not confirm such a meeting in recent days. |
| News of the meeting with Corbyn, who opposes British military intervention in Syria, came as Obama said the US and UK were ready to take action to stop Islamic State securing a stronghold in Libya from which to launch attacks on Europe or America. | News of the meeting with Corbyn, who opposes British military intervention in Syria, came as Obama said the US and UK were ready to take action to stop Islamic State securing a stronghold in Libya from which to launch attacks on Europe or America. |
| Earlier, Obama visited the Globe theatre in Southwark to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. | Earlier, Obama visited the Globe theatre in Southwark to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. |
| Speaking after talks with prime minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street, Obama stressed there were no plans to send ground troops into Libya to support the new Government of National Accord. | Speaking after talks with prime minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street, Obama stressed there were no plans to send ground troops into Libya to support the new Government of National Accord. |
| He said both the UK and US were determined to assist the administration of Fayez Serraj with technical help, training and advice to secure borders, drive out terrorists and rebuild Libya’s economy. | He said both the UK and US were determined to assist the administration of Fayez Serraj with technical help, training and advice to secure borders, drive out terrorists and rebuild Libya’s economy. |
| Obama said he and Cameron would not sit back and wait while Isis built up its base in the coastal city of Sirte into a launchpad for atrocities against the west. | Obama said he and Cameron would not sit back and wait while Isis built up its base in the coastal city of Sirte into a launchpad for atrocities against the west. |
| “There are no plans for ground troops in Libya,” said Obama. “I don’t think it’s necessary. I don’t think it would be welcomed by this new government. It would send the wrong signal. | “There are no plans for ground troops in Libya,” said Obama. “I don’t think it’s necessary. I don’t think it would be welcomed by this new government. It would send the wrong signal. |
| “This is a matter of ‘Can Libyans come together?’ What we can do is provide them with our expertise. What we can do is provide them with training. What we can do is provide them with a road-map for how they can get basic services to their citizens and build up legitimacy. | “This is a matter of ‘Can Libyans come together?’ What we can do is provide them with our expertise. What we can do is provide them with training. What we can do is provide them with a road-map for how they can get basic services to their citizens and build up legitimacy. |
| “But I do think that the one area where both David and I are heavily committed is that, as this progresses, we can’t wait if Isil is starting to get a foothold there. | “But I do think that the one area where both David and I are heavily committed is that, as this progresses, we can’t wait if Isil is starting to get a foothold there. |
| “So, we are working – not just with the Libyan government but a lot of our international partners – to make sure that we are getting the intelligence that we need, and in some cases taking action to prevent Isil [Isis] from having another stronghold from which to launch attacks against Europe and the United States.” | “So, we are working – not just with the Libyan government but a lot of our international partners – to make sure that we are getting the intelligence that we need, and in some cases taking action to prevent Isil [Isis] from having another stronghold from which to launch attacks against Europe and the United States.” |
| Libya was top of the agenda at the talks in Downing Street and is expected to dominate a summit of the G5 group in Hanover on Monday, at which Cameron and Obama will discuss security threats with chancellor Angela Merkel, French president François Hollande and Italian PM Matteo Renzi. | |
| Speaking alongside Obama at a press conference in the Foreign Office on Friday, Cameron said: “There is no doubt that the situation in Libya is immensely challenging. But we now finally have a government of national accord with whom we can work.” | Speaking alongside Obama at a press conference in the Foreign Office on Friday, Cameron said: “There is no doubt that the situation in Libya is immensely challenging. But we now finally have a government of national accord with whom we can work.” |
| Asked about his biggest achievement in the past eight years as president, Obama cited bringing in health insurance and dealing with the financial crash. “Saving the world economy from a great depression, that was pretty good.” | |
| Though he did not refer directly to the implications of the UK leaving the EU, Obama said trade deals were generally difficult due to “parochial” interests and “factions” within countries. | |
| Obama said racial tensions in America still needed to be dealt with and people could not be complacent just because an African-American was in the White House. “One of the dangers is that by electing a black president people say there must be no problem at all.” | |
| Asked which grassroots movements had most impressed him, Obama cited the marriage equality campaign. “It’s probably been the fastest set of changes in terms of a social movement that I’ve seen,” he added. | |
| The president said he started out backing civil partnerships, but gay friends helped persuade him that did not go far enough. “It’s not simply about legal rights, but about a sense of stigma. If you are calling it something different it means less in the eyes of society.” | |
| Obama also praised the Black Lives Matter movement for raising awareness, but said you “can’t just keep on yelling” at people who want to sit down and talk. | |
| He was urged to do more for the trans community by an audience member who had earlier said they were doing something “crazy”, before coming out to him as a non-binary person. | |
| Obama responded: “That wasn’t that crazy – I thought you were going to ask to come up here and dance with me.” | |
| The president praised the move to equality and said that controversial laws passed in North Carolina and Mississippi regarding trans people using public toilets were state issues. “It sounds to me like you are on the right track. We are taking a lot of serious steps to address these issues in the federal government.” |