Tony Benn on President Reagan’s visit 7-8th June 1982: ‘embarrassing’
Donald Trump, the US President and a former reality TV star is in Britain. Here is what Tony Benn wrote when another very right-wing US President, former actor Ronald Reagan visited the UK in 1982
Tuesday June 8th 1982
The streets were packed with police for Reagan’s visit. He began the day riding around Windsor Great Park in a coach and four with Nancy and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh followed by 350 TV cameras.
Later he flew into London by helicopter and addressed both Houses of Parliament, in the Royal Gallery- an event I did not attend- and made a violent attack on the Soviet Union. He had lunch with Mrs Thatcher and another exchange of speeches. Back to Windsor Castle in the evening for a banquet at Queen Victoria’s dining table, which seats 144. Michael Foot was there I think, and Reagan made a speech about the Falklands as did the Queen.
It was quite unlike the Pope’s visit* which was much more human. Reagan is just a movie star acting the part of a king and the Queen like a movie star in a film about Britain. Mrs Thatcher is an absolutely Victorian jingoist. I find it embarrassing to live in Britain at the moment
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