Sure-footed London Mayor slips up over baby Trump balloon

I'm all for protest for all kinds of things when they are deserving, important, historically momentous and peaceful. A lot of people in this country appear to be against the upcoming visit of Donald Trump to the UK. They don't like him and they don't like what he is doing in America and they don't like what he has done to America's standing in the world. So they will be protesting in the streets when he arrives this week. President George W Bush faced protestors in the streets when he came to London because of the Iraq War. But for Trump's visit which will include dinner with the Queen at Windsor Castle, protestors in London have thought up a special form of demnstration which, in my view, is bad manners, discourteous, and somewhat pathetic. And the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who has had a number of run-ins with the US president already, has approved the idea. This is to have a giant orange balloon of a baby Trump in a nappy with large safety pin hanging in the air over Parliament Square Gardens. Although Trump won't be spending much time in London during his four-day trip, this symbolic gesture of disdain and ridicule is unworthy of a great city like London and a big, big mistake by the Mayor who, as "political boss" of this cosmopolitan metropolis, has a duty and responsibility to be welcoming to guests from all over the world. The huge inflatable angry-looking baby Trump will be anchored to a spot in Parliament Square Gardens, not far from where the statue of Winston Churchill stands facing the Houses of Parliament. Mayor Sadiq Khan has made it clear he doesn't like Trump and has made some very public personal comments attacking him. Trump has done likewise back to him. But the Mayor should keep his thoughts to himself. Claiming that the balloon idea is just an example of freedom of expression sounds fine but this is different. It's childish and unpleasant and rude. The Mayor should change his mind. If he doesn't, then the Metropolitan Police should oppose it on the grounds of it being a hazard to.....whatever.