The Queen's speech at the US State Banquet

Mr President, 

I am delighted to welcome you and Mrs Trump to Buckingham Palace this evening, just twelve months after our first meeting at Windsor Castle. Visits by American Presidents always remind us of the close and longstanding friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States, and I am so glad that we have another opportunity to demonstrate the immense importance that both our countries attach to our relationship. 

In the coming days, you will see some of our most treasured historical buildings, speak to the business leaders whose expertise and innovation drive our economies, and meet members of our Armed Services, past and present. You will also travel to Portsmouth and Normandy to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. 

On that day – and on many occasions since – the Armed Forces of both our countries fought side-by-side to defend our cherished values of liberty and democracy. Mr President, in your State of the Union Address this year, you paid tribute to some of the American heroes who risked their lives, and we owe an immeasurable debt to the British, American and Allied soldiers who began the liberation of Europe on 6th June 1944. 

I paid my first State Visit to your country at the invitation of President Eisenhower. As Supreme Allied Commander, he had ultimate responsibility for the execution of the Normandy landings. In his headquarters in St James’s Square – not far from Buckingham Palace – British and American officers worked closely together to plan the freedom of a continent, and it would be no exaggeration to say that millions of lives depended on their common endeavour.

As we face the new challenges of the Twenty First Century, the anniversary of D-Day reminds us of all that our countries have achieved together. After the shared sacrifices of the Second World War, Britain and the United States worked with other allies to build an assembly of international institutions, to ensure that the horrors of conflict would never be repeated. While the world has changed, we are forever mindful of the original purpose of these structures: nations working together to safeguard a hard won peace. 

Of course, it is not only our security which unites us; but our strong cultural links and shared heritage. Every year, there are almost four million visits by Americans to the United Kingdom, with a great number claiming British descent. And with your own Scottish ancestry, Mr President, you too have a particular connection to this country. 

We are also bound by the strength and breadth of our economic ties, as the largest investors in each other’s economies. British companies in the United States employ over one million Americans, and the same is true vice versa. 

Mr President, as we look to the future, I am confident that our common values and shared interests will continue to unite us. Tonight we celebrate an alliance that has helped to ensure the safety and prosperity of both our peoples for decades, and which I believe will endure for many years to come.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I invite you all to rise and drink a toast to President and Mrs Trump, to the continued friendship between our two nations, and to the health, prosperity and happiness of the people of the United States.

ROYAL PRESS-ENGLAND

UK shoppers slash spending in May - BRC

Business reporter(wp/reuters):::
British shoppers cut back on their spending last month by the most in more than 20 years, a retailers’ group said, raising questions about how long consumers can keep on cushioning the economy from the impact of Brexit.Retail sales sank by an annual 2.7%, the biggest fall - excluding distortions caused by the timing of Easter - since the British Retail Consortium’s records began in 1995.

The BRC said May’s fall should be seen in the context of an unusually strong jump of 4.1% in May 2018, when sales were boosted by sunny weather and the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle which encouraged consumers to hit the shops.

“But even the three-month average - which softens the monthly volatility - demonstrates that achieving growth in retail remains a real struggle,” said Paul Martin, head of UK retail at accountancy firm KPMG which sponsors the figures.

Sales rose by 0.2% in the three months to May, the weakest growth since the three months to March 2017.

In like-for-like terms, which smoothes out changes in the amount of retail space, sales fell by 3.0% in May, the biggest fall since the end of 2008, excluding Easter periods.

Retailers have reported mixed fortunes recently. Morrisons, Britain’s fourth-largest grocer, missed quarterly growth forecasts, blaming political and economic uncertainty and the third-largest player, Asda, warned of an “increasingly challenging backdrop”.

B&M, a small, fast-growing discount chain, reported its best ever Easter.

Overall, consumers have so far largely taken Brexit in their stride, helped by weaker inflation and stronger growth in wages.

That has helped the world’s fifth-biggest economy at a time when many companies have been cutting back on investment because of uncertainty about Brexit.

Separately on Tuesday, Barclaycard said 44% of respondents in a poll it commissioned expected Brexit would hurt their household finances and 30% said they were less likely to holiday abroad this year.

But 70% remained confident in their finances.

“Despite ongoing concerns about Brexit and the economy, household confidence is holding up as consumers continue to be savvy with their spending,” Esme Harwood, a director at Barclaycard, said.

Barclaycard did not publish monthly spending figures for May because it was adjusting its reporting process.

Hundreds of thousands set to protest on second day of president's trip as he and Theresa May hold talks

Special report(wp/es):::

Protesters are set to hit the streets of London in their thousands on the second day of Donald Trump’s state visit as he prepares to hold talks with Theresa May.

The main demonstration against the president's trip is scheduled for today, with as many as 250,000 activists expected to march from Trafalgar Square to Downing Street.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is gearing up to lead the demonstration, which has been planned to coincide with the US President's talks with the Prime Minister.

Mr Corbyn said he will address demonstrators on Tuesday "in solidarity with those [Mr Trump] attacked in America, around the world and in our own country".It comes after a huge security operation was launched yesterday in the capital, with Scotland Yard placing streets surrounding Buckingham Palace and Downing Street in “lockdown” with around 10,000 police officers deployed in a £25 million operation.Thousands of activists are expected in central London as the US president meets Mrs May, although the police operation will mean they cannot demonstrate outside the entrance to Downing Street.Mr Corbyn, who refused an invitation to Monday evening's state banquet, is due to be joined by other political parties including members of the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party.

Across the UK, protests in Birmingham, Stoke, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Chester, Leicester, Oxford and Exeter are also planned.

The US leader said on Monday he had only seen "tremendous crowds of well wishers" and that he expected "fake news" would be "working hard" to find protesters.It comes after a day of pomp and ceremony as Mr Trump was welcomed by the Queen and lunched at Buckingham Palace with senior royals.

Amid Monday’s formalities, which included a visit to Westminster Abbey and tea at Clarence House, and a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, Mr Trump tweeted that the trip was "going really well" and the royal family had been "fantastic".

He then used the occasion to praise the Queen's "spirit of dignity, duty and patriotism that beats proudly in every British heart".Mr Trump told the Buckingham Palace banquet guests, who included senior royals, captains of industry and other leading figures from national life: "As we honour our shared victory and heritage, we affirm the common values that will unite us long into future."Freedom, sovereignty, self-determination, the rule of law and reference for the rights given to us by almighty God. From the Second World War to today, Her Majesty has stood as a constant symbol of these priceless traditions."

In her address, the Queen celebrated the special relationship between the UK and the US, and while Brexit was not mentioned she highlighted how the two countries faced "new challenges of the 21st century".However, the president's visit started with a series of controversial Twitter messages, with tirades against the London mayor, "fake news" and China.

Moments before he and the First Lady touched down at Stansted Airport, Mr Trump had called London Mayor Sadiq Khan a "stone cold loser", but misspelled his surname in one of the posts.

He had also been forced to deny calling the Duchess of Sussex "nasty" shortly before the visit when he was confronted with comments she made before the 2016 US presidential election saying she would leave the country if he won.On Tuesday, Mr Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May will co-host a business breakfast meeting with senior UK and US business leaders. The event at St James's Palace will also be attended by the Duke of York.

The US leader will hold talks with Mrs May at 10 Downing Street, after which they will give a press conference.

In the evening, Mr Trump and the First Lady will host a dinner at Winfield House - the official residence of Woody Johnson, the US ambassador to the UK - in Regent's Park, which will be attended by Charles and Camilla, who will represent the Queen.

North London stabbing: Man dies after 'unprovoked' attack

Crime reporter(wp/reuters):::

A man has died two days after being stabbed in a "seemingly unprovoked" attack in north London.

The 33-year-old was stabbed in the leg at about 03:00 BST on Saturday, near the junction between Seven Sisters Road and Vartry Road.

He was treated at the scene by medics before being taken to a north London hospital, where he died on Monday.

His next of kin have been informed, although a formal identification has yet to take place.

A post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course, police said.

The Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Major Crime Unit is leading the investigation, but has made no arrests.

Witnesses have been asked to contact police.

Fox backs Foreign Secretary Hunt to be prime minister

Political reporter(wp/reuters):::

Trade minister Liam Fox said on Tuesday he would back Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in the race to replace Theresa May and become Britain’s next prime minister.

“In this contest I’ll be backing my friend Jeremy Hunt who is an impressive foreign secretary, an entrepreneur by background, where dealmaking is part of his DNA,” Fox told BBC Radio.

“He understands that we have to message to Europe that we will leave if we cannot get an appropriate deal, but we’ll try to get a deal.”