It is true that many people delight in a pantomime villain [VIDEO]. Donald trump fits the bill perfectly for so many on the left of UK politics. He has been prone to sexism and at times bordered on racism, although many people mistake his deep mistrust of hard line Islam for this, and the two are not the same. He says what he thinks without diluting too much, challenges many things that are wrong but no one dares to mention. Oh and, worst of all, he is very rich. Like many things, this dislike is taken to extremes.
Trump and the state visit problem
Many morally questionable representatives of countries and individuals have been welcomed into this country and been given honours that include addressing Parliament without too much left wing yelling. Chinese leaders are presiding over mass executions and the hideous Robert Mugabe, to name but two. Now as a country, we allow activists and a few virtue signalling politicians to deter from visiting the duly elected President of one of the greatest countries in the world and one of the UK's most reliable partners for more than fifty years. Additionally, we do this at a time when trade with the economically vigorous countries of the world will define our future.
World trade
Yes, we need to retain the best links possible with Germany, France (whose President and people remained courteous to Trump) and Italy as three of the world's top eleven economies, but we cannot be held hostage by them and others in the EU that we have subsidised for decades. The USA is the number one economy in the world, with China and Japan respectively number two and three.
India, Brazil, Canada and Russia make up the rest of the eleven. These, along with the other Commonwealth countries, all outside the EU, have given clear signs of wanting to make deals with the UK. Many in this country don't want us to regain control of our laws, borders, money, and trade. They must not be allowed to insult our friends to further this end and risk our financial future.
Respect is fundamental
The issue of respect is necessary. Donald Trump has been very positive towards the UK. His country is the biggest contributor to NATO, the international organisation that has done most to protect the free world. America and the UK have provided as much world aid as any other countries and a lot more than most. Much of this funding has come from the taxes taken from wealthy businesspeople and the companies they create. How the world's poor would cope without this aid is something not to be imagined.
So individuals are free to dislike Trump and to make this dislike known. It is however unacceptable for politicians to collude with political organisations to undermine the financial interests, security and tolerance of the UK and the wider world.
