Chatter is still abundant in the UK about a State visit by Donald Trump to the country, even though it is unlikely to happen before he leaves, or is forced out of, office.
On BBC Three Countries Radio on Thursday, I had a lively debate with John Bickley, the immigration spokesperson for the UK Independence Party, about the issues — or, in this case, the issues vs. the diversions from them — around rewarding Trump even amid controversies about his positions and statements on white supremacy, women, minorities, immigrants, Russia, torture and much more.
Listen to Discussion
If you go beyond the issues to give Donald Trump his ceremony, you are rewarding a man who has backed white supremacy, who has in effect endorsed the violence of white supremacy, who has endorsed torture, who has been divisive through his language towards people of color, who has been hostile towards Europeans over NATO but who has been friendly with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Now is this the type of person you want to bring over using the mantra of the Anglo-American “special relationship”?