By Ben Kerrigan-
A letter addressed to president Donald Trump welcoming him to the Uk during his scheduled visit this summer has been signed by the heads of conservative think tanks.
The thinktanks include the Bow Group, Bruges Group, Parliament Street and the Freedom Association, as well as the chairman of Republicans Overseas Scotland and a contributor to ThinkScotland.
The groups collectively told the president that the political and media establishment in London was “far out of touch” with the feelings of ordinary people outside the capital, many of whom “strongly support” his leadership.
“Your ancestral homeland of Scotland represents a powerful bond between you and Britain, and given the nature of the climate in London, it is a superior destination,” they said.
“As you know, the Royal Estate of Balmoral Castle sits in Scotland’s Cairgorms National Park, thus allowing you to make a full state visit as the guest of the Her Majesty the Queen.
“Scotland and the North of England also offer a variety of locations where you would be able to speak directly to ordinary British people and witness the true level of support that exists for you and the special relationship between the US and the UK.” President Trump will be chuffed by the contents of the letter.
Ben Harris-Quinney, chairman of the Bow Group, said: “A visit to London by the president is likely to draw major protests, crime and disorder, and we do not wish to see Britain or President Trump embarrassed by this.
“It is important that the people of the United States and its government know there are many in Britain who strongly support the president and the special relationship, and wish for President Trump to be afforded the warmest of welcomes.
“Sadly that will not be the case in London.”
Mr Trump, whose mother was born on the Isle of Lewis, has frequented Scotland before becoming president. Mr Trump was originally set to visit London to open the new U.S embassy in Vauxhall earlier this year, when he complained the move to an “off location” south of the Thames was a “bad deal”.
However, Trump’s decision to alter his plans is believed to have been driven by a fear of protests in the capital, especially after his his clash London mayor Sadiq Khan, when the pair clashed over his response to terrorism.
The American president will hold bilateral talks with Mrs May, Downing Street said, with further details to be “set out in due course”.
The July date follows the Nato summit which the president is expected to attend in Brussels on the previous day.
Downing Street and the White House were expected to co-ordinate the release of details of the trip, but Mr Trump’s spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, was fast to have released the information first on twitter.
UK ambassador Sir Kim Darroch confirmed the date on Twitter, saying he was “delighted” that Mr Trump would visit the UK.
STORMY DANIELS
The news of his planned visit to the Uk comes on the same day the U.S president admitted that lawyer Michael Cohen represented him in the “crazy Stormy Daniels deal” . He has previously denied knowing about a $130,000 hush payment paid by his lawyer to the adult film star, who claims to have had sex with him.
“As a percentage of my overall legal work, [he did] a tiny, tiny little fraction,” the US president said of Cohen. “But Michael represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal.”
Daniels launched a suit last month to release herself from a non-disclosure agreement she signed in 2016, arguing that it was void because Trump never signed the agreement. She makes this argument whilst keeping hold of the $130,000 hush money.
