Trump state visit to UK will go ahead, Boris Johnson says
Foreign secretary Boris Johnson has said Donald Trump’s planned state visit to the UK will go ahead, despite its omission from the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday.
State visits to Britain are normally mentioned in the monarch’s speech before the opening of parliament, but there was no official recognition of the US President’s trip.
Speculation has been rife in recent weeks that Trump’s visit would not go ahead due to the prospect of protests in the UK, with the billionaire former reality television star reportedly uneasy about planned demonstrations.
Speaking to Sky News, Johnson said that the trip would be going ahead, and was not mentioned during Wednesday’s speech as a date had not yet been confirmed.
Almost two million people signed a petition urging Theresa May to rescind the invitation
Johnson said: "That's because we haven't yet agreed a date with the White House. That was pushed back as a result of the election.
"The formality is that you cannot put the presidential visit in until the date has been agreed. But the visit will go ahead."
Almost two million people signed a petition urging Theresa May to rescind the invitation due to several decisions and statements made by Trump since he took over the Oval Office.
There had been a war of words between Trump and London mayor Sadiq Khan earlier this year after a tweet sent by the former in relation to terror attacks in the capital.