More Brits support than oppose United States President Donald J. Trump being welcomed in a full state visit to the United Kingdom, new polling shows.
Despite threats of protests in London from left-wing groups and repeated messages from London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan that he did not want President Trump to visit the UK, the latest YouGov poll found the numbers supporting an official welcome was rising. In all, a plurality now again supports a visit, with 45 per cent in favour, 39 per cent against, and the remainder undecided.
The poll was first taken in January 2017, when UK Prime Minister Theresa May travelled to Washington, DC, to meet with President Trump, extending an invitation for a state dinner. The president and PM May were even seen holding hands around the White House — at that time support for a state visit stood around 50 per cent.
Support subsequently fluctuated, with two polls in September and December 2017 showing opposition leading. Yet that position has now been reversed with positive views rising by some 14 per cent in just two months.
In other research that accompanied the new figures, pollsters YouGov stated this rising support for a state visit — symbolic of a strong and persisting relationship between the UK and U.S. — was born of a deep pragmatism among British people. While 97 per cent of Brits who think President Trump is doing a good job also supported him coming to the UK, some 75 per cent of people who thought the president was merely doing an average job still wanted the visit to go ahead.
This contrasted with the just nine per cent of Brits who did not like President Trump at all still supporting a state visit, despite their personal beliefs.
One who could certainly be counted among the haters of President Trump in the UK is Mayor Khan, who took an earlier delay in the state visit as a personal victory. Breitbart London reported his remarks in December when the mayor — elected to run London but often found involving himself in international politics instead — said, “It is clear that any official visit here would not be welcomed.”
It is reported the president is now expected to visit the UK in October 2018.
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