Trump's coming visit to the United Kingdom is a good thing

His tenure in the White House has hardly been a successful one to date, marred by crises and staff departures and deadlock.

There are multiple allegations against him and his administration, including the suggestion of collusion with Russia prior to his election in 2016.

Mr Trump has seemed unaware at times even of basic policy or governance matters, and his behaviour has been highly unpredictable. But without hesitation he should be welcome in the UK when he visits in July. Mr Trump is the leader of the most powerful country on earth, and one with which Britain and Ireland both have close relations.

The United States has latterly taken a close interest in Northern Ireland, vastly disproportionate to our size (with a population of 1.8 million people, the Province would be one of the smaller of the 50 states of the US).

Note how the French president Emmanuel Macron has shown great respect for the US and its presidency, while criticising some of his policies. It would absurd for a US president to be spurned by the UK, when dictators have been welcome on the grounds that they are a head of state.

Whatever his shortcomings, Mr Trump’s America is a far more democratic and open a society than Russia or China, the leaders of which have visited the UK many times.

His coming trip is a good thing.