Letter: Joe Biden's upcoming visit to the UK unlikely to achieve much - but perhaps the US president will fly the Union Flag on his car this time
A letter from Stevan Patterson:
The news that US president Joe Biden will travel to the UK on Sunday will be, I am sure, another chance for him to deliver his clearly anti-British agenda.
He is scheduled to meet with prime minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday and with King Charles III at Windsor Castle on Monday. Going by president Biden’s past comments and deeds over many years tearing the special relationship apart, and what emerged following his last visit to the UK and the city of Belfast in April to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, it was clear he was unable to contain his anti-UK views.
He added to the widespread belief amongst unionists that he hates anything British, this being seemingly confirmed by not having any respect for Northern Ireland’s place in the UK and flying the Union Flag as per normal protocol on his car during the very brief visit to Northern Ireland.
This was despite prime minister Rishi Sunak signing up to the “Windsor whitewash” and handing control to the EU, thus facilitating president Biden’s visit in the first place.
President Biden added to the insult by thinking such an act of surrender by the prime minister to the EU, with rigorous implementation of the NI Protocol and the sea border, was only worth a 22-minute speech! This in a way is not surprising as only a few weeks later he would think so little about his visit here that he forgot he had been here in the first place. He later stated he was here to “make sure Brits didn’t screw around”.
So his next visit to the UK on Sunday and Monday, going by past experience, will not achieve a lot, but perhaps at least he will manage to fly the Union Flag on his car this time.
Stevan Patterson, Castlederg