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| Donald Trump 'fine' with protests as UK visit begins | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has arrived in the UK, having said he is "fine" about any protests during his visit. | |
| Mr Trump and his wife Melania landed at Stansted on Air Force One at 13:50 BST before a helicopter took them to the US ambassador's residence in London. | Mr Trump and his wife Melania landed at Stansted on Air Force One at 13:50 BST before a helicopter took them to the US ambassador's residence in London. |
| He is due to meet Theresa May, who is seeking a post-Brexit trade deal - days after he said the UK was in "turmoil". | |
| Extra security is in place to police a number of protests but Mr Trump said he thought Britons "like me a lot". | |
| Speaking at the Nato summit in Brussels before he arrived, Mr Trump said the UK was a "pretty hot spot right now". | Speaking at the Nato summit in Brussels before he arrived, Mr Trump said the UK was a "pretty hot spot right now". |
| Mr Trump, who will also spend time with the Queen during his two-day working visit, added: "I think they like me a lot in the UK; I think they agree with me on immigration... | Mr Trump, who will also spend time with the Queen during his two-day working visit, added: "I think they like me a lot in the UK; I think they agree with me on immigration... |
| "You see what's going on throughout the world with immigration... I think that's why Brexit happened." | "You see what's going on throughout the world with immigration... I think that's why Brexit happened." |
| He said "Brexit is Brexit" and the British people "voted to break it up, so I imagine that's what they'll do but maybe they're taking a different route - I don't know if that is what they voted for". | |
| Mr Trump has recently been under fire for his own immigration policy, which resulted in the separation of immigrant families. | Mr Trump has recently been under fire for his own immigration policy, which resulted in the separation of immigrant families. |
| His visit comes as Mrs May publishes a White Paper setting out a blueprint for the UK's relations with the EU. | His visit comes as Mrs May publishes a White Paper setting out a blueprint for the UK's relations with the EU. |
| Earlier this week Mr Trump said it was "up to the people" whether she stayed on after two cabinet ministers resigned within hours over her Brexit policy. | Earlier this week Mr Trump said it was "up to the people" whether she stayed on after two cabinet ministers resigned within hours over her Brexit policy. |
| He added he had "always liked" Boris Johnson, who quit as foreign secretary. | He added he had "always liked" Boris Johnson, who quit as foreign secretary. |
| Mr Trump travelled from the Nato summit, where he said member countries have agreed to increase their military spending. | Mr Trump travelled from the Nato summit, where he said member countries have agreed to increase their military spending. |
| The president and his wife will attend a dinner, hosted by Mrs May, at Blenheim Palace - the ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill - in the evening. | |
| Mrs May said the UK visit would be an opportunity to boost trade links and strengthen co-operation on security. | Mrs May said the UK visit would be an opportunity to boost trade links and strengthen co-operation on security. |
| But she also warned Mr Trump not to ignore the "malign behaviour" of Russia when he meets Vladimir Putin in Helsinki next week. | But she also warned Mr Trump not to ignore the "malign behaviour" of Russia when he meets Vladimir Putin in Helsinki next week. |
| Mr Trump had joked earlier this week that his meeting with the Russian leader "may be the easiest" part of his European trip. | Mr Trump had joked earlier this week that his meeting with the Russian leader "may be the easiest" part of his European trip. |
| Along with trade and security links, Downing Street said the other key areas to be discussed between the two leaders included Brexit and the Middle East. | Along with trade and security links, Downing Street said the other key areas to be discussed between the two leaders included Brexit and the Middle East. |
| Ahead of Mr Trump's visit, Mrs May said that when the UK leaves the European Union "there will be no alliance more important in the years ahead". | Ahead of Mr Trump's visit, Mrs May said that when the UK leaves the European Union "there will be no alliance more important in the years ahead". |
| Downing Street insisted Mrs May welcomed Mr Trump's decision to "engage" with the Russian leader in the Finnish capital on Monday. | Downing Street insisted Mrs May welcomed Mr Trump's decision to "engage" with the Russian leader in the Finnish capital on Monday. |
| However No 10 also made clear that she expected him to raise issues like the Salisbury nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. | However No 10 also made clear that she expected him to raise issues like the Salisbury nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent | By James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent |
| Since Donald Trump took office, Theresa May has had to disagree with him publicly over his decision to impose trade tariffs on EU steel, abandon the Iran nuclear deal, move the US embassy to Jerusalem, order a Muslim travel ban and retweet anti-Muslim messages from a British far right group. | Since Donald Trump took office, Theresa May has had to disagree with him publicly over his decision to impose trade tariffs on EU steel, abandon the Iran nuclear deal, move the US embassy to Jerusalem, order a Muslim travel ban and retweet anti-Muslim messages from a British far right group. |
| In turn, the US president has described Britain as being in political "turmoil", criticised its defence spending and shown no enthusiasm for coming to visit: in the 18 months of his presidency, Mr Trump has chosen to visit 17 other countries first. | In turn, the US president has described Britain as being in political "turmoil", criticised its defence spending and shown no enthusiasm for coming to visit: in the 18 months of his presidency, Mr Trump has chosen to visit 17 other countries first. |
| Whatever this relationship is, it can hardly be described as special. | Whatever this relationship is, it can hardly be described as special. |
| So this trip is about ticking a diplomatic box, getting a visit out of the way before its further delay became politically embarrassing. | So this trip is about ticking a diplomatic box, getting a visit out of the way before its further delay became politically embarrassing. |
| And as working visits go, it is on the minimal side: no Downing Street barbecue, no cabinet visit, no speech to both Houses of Parliament. | And as working visits go, it is on the minimal side: no Downing Street barbecue, no cabinet visit, no speech to both Houses of Parliament. |
| The diplomatic aim will be to get through the visit without any gaffes, without upsetting the president, and without him saying anything disobliging about Brexit or a future trade deal. | The diplomatic aim will be to get through the visit without any gaffes, without upsetting the president, and without him saying anything disobliging about Brexit or a future trade deal. |
| The UK and the US do have a good relationship at an institutional level, in the fields of defence, security and intelligence. The tricky bit is always the politics and the personalities. | The UK and the US do have a good relationship at an institutional level, in the fields of defence, security and intelligence. The tricky bit is always the politics and the personalities. |
| About 150 guests are understood to have agreed to attend the dinner at Blenheim Palace, including cabinet members and business leaders. | |
| Only one person, the digital entrepreneur and philanthropist Baroness Martha Lane-Fox, has publicly refused the invitation. | Only one person, the digital entrepreneur and philanthropist Baroness Martha Lane-Fox, has publicly refused the invitation. |
| On Friday, Mrs May and Mr Trump will go to watch a joint counter-terrorism exercise by British and US special forces at a military base. | On Friday, Mrs May and Mr Trump will go to watch a joint counter-terrorism exercise by British and US special forces at a military base. |
| The pair will then travel to Chequers - the PM's country residence in Buckinghamshire - for talks with the foreign secretary. | The pair will then travel to Chequers - the PM's country residence in Buckinghamshire - for talks with the foreign secretary. |
| The president and first lady will travel to Windsor on Friday afternoon to meet the Queen, before flying to Scotland to spend the weekend at Mr Trump's Turnberry golf resort. This part of the visit is being considered private. | The president and first lady will travel to Windsor on Friday afternoon to meet the Queen, before flying to Scotland to spend the weekend at Mr Trump's Turnberry golf resort. This part of the visit is being considered private. |
| The Police Federation has warned the visit will put "unquestionable pressure" on UK police forces as tens of thousands of people are expected to protest against the president in London on Thursday and Friday - and in Glasgow on Friday. | |
| It has also complained that 300 officers working during the visit will have to sleep on camp beds in a gymnasium that has no hot water and restricted access to hot food. | It has also complained that 300 officers working during the visit will have to sleep on camp beds in a gymnasium that has no hot water and restricted access to hot food. |
| Smaller demonstrations are also expected to be held across the UK, including Devon, Dundee, Edinburgh, Belfast, Norwich, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. | Smaller demonstrations are also expected to be held across the UK, including Devon, Dundee, Edinburgh, Belfast, Norwich, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. |
| Meanwhile, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has granted permission for a giant inflatable figure depicting Mr Trump as a baby to fly over Westminster for two hours on the second day of the president's visit. | Meanwhile, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has granted permission for a giant inflatable figure depicting Mr Trump as a baby to fly over Westminster for two hours on the second day of the president's visit. |
| But the balloon will not be allowed to fly over his Turnberry golf course, Police Scotland have said. | But the balloon will not be allowed to fly over his Turnberry golf course, Police Scotland have said. |