The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will host a private lunch for USA president Barack Obama and his wife today. They have branded Obama “anti-British” and “unsuccessful” and accused him of meddling for suggesting that the US would be happier if Britain stayed in the bloc.
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The White House has said that the story is untrue, and the bust is still in a prominent place in the presidential residence.
“I will say, with the candour of a friend, that the outcome of your decision is a matter of deep interest to the United States”.
He sought to underscore areas of continued cooperation by saying his talks with Obama would focus heavily on the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group.
Peter Wittig, Germany’s ambassador to the US, told reporters Thursday he hopes Obama will use his influence with British politicians and society to try to persuade them to remain in the EU.
“Obama is not an instinctive pro-European”, said Ian Bond of the London-based Center for European Reform think-tank.
Obama arrives in Britain for 3-day visit He and First Lady Michelle Obama are due to have lunch with the Queen at Windsor on Friday, and dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
But for the British media, the visit will be dominated by the debate over a possible European Union exit, dubbed “Brexit”.
Obama will likely be asked to weigh in further during a joint press conference with Cameron following talks at his Downing Street office later Friday.
While experts warn many people have not yet decided how to vote, the “Remain” camp now has 54 percent support compared to 46 percent for “Leave”, according to an average of the last six opinion polls by academics at the What UK Thinks project.
Opponents of the EU, many of whom laud the U.S. alliance, have said that membership has shackled Britain to the corpse of a failed German-dominated experiment in European integration, and that Britain, if freed, could prosper as a sole trader.
Especially from London mayor Boris Johnson, who says that President Obama’s stance is “downright hypocritical”.
“Out” campaigners have said the USA would never agree to dilute its own national sovereignty in the way the European Union requires of its member states.
“A strong Europe is not a threat to Britain’s global leadership; it enhances Britain’s global leadership”, he said.
“It is deeply anti-democratic – and much as I admire the United States, and much as I respect the president, I believe he must admit that his country would not dream of embroiling itself in anything of the kind”.
He also uses the article to warn that a vote to leave the European Union will leave Britain less able to tackle terrorism, the migration crisis and any economic shocks in the global economy.
The former Work and Pensions Secretary said he could imagine no circumstances under which the president would lobby for the US Supreme Court to be bound by the judgements of a foreign court or accept laws should be made for or taxes imposed on American citizens without the approval of Congress.
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Cameron said Wednesday that British voters will make the final decision about the country’s future but “listening to what our friends say in the world is not a bad idea”.
