London Mayor Sadiq Khan said it was preposterous for Donald Trump to blame a rise in violent crime in the city on immigration after the US president criticised his handling of crime and militant attacks.

"The idea that you can blame this on immigration from Africa is I think preposterous and we should call him out when he does so," Khan told BBC radio on Friday.

Trump told the Sun newspaper that the London mayor had "done a very bad job on terrorism" and referred to "crime that is being brought in" to the city.

"I think he has done a very bad job on terrorism," Trump told the Sun. "I think he has done a bad job on crime, if you look, all of the horrible things going on there, with all of the crime that is being brought in."

Protesters prepare to inflate the Baby Blimp.Protesters prepare to inflate the Baby Blimp.

BABY BLIMP TO BE FLOWN AT PARLIAMENT SQUARE

A huge baby blimp depicting US president Donald Trump is set to be flown at Parliament Square - as protests against the presidential visit continue.

The 6m high blow-up caricature depicting Mr Trump as a baby wearing a nappy and clutching a mobile phone was given the green light by the Greater London Authority to fly near Parliament.

The group that crowd-sourced the inflatable said, while Mr Trump would not see the blimp in person as his visit does not take in the historic Palace of Westminster, they hoped it would come to the Twitter-loving president's attention online.

In an interview with The i, Mr Trump referenced the inflatable as part of the reason he does not feel wanted in the capital, saying: "I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, no reason for me to go to London."

Several anti-Trump protest groups are expected to meet at Portland Place on Friday as the president has a working lunch with Theresa May at her country residence Chequers.

With Mr Trump set to travel to Scotland on Friday evening after meeting the Queen at Windsor Castle, a rally is planned for Glasgow's George Square.

TEA WITH THE QUEEN

The Queen is preparing to greet US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle, for tea.

The controversial American leader will be treated to a Guard of Honour when he arrives at the historic royal residence in Berkshire on Friday afternoon.

Mr Trump spoke of his admiration for the Queen in his interview with the Sun, in which he called her a "tremendous woman".

He told the paper: "If you think of it, for so many years she has represented her country, she has really never made a mistake. You don't see, like, anything embarrassing. She is just an incredible woman.

"My wife is a tremendous fan of hers. She has got a great and beautiful grace about her."

Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will meet Britain's head of state at the dais in the castle's Quadrangle, which features a neatly manicured central lawn.

The Queen has received three other US Presidents at Windsor Castle since the 1980s - Barack Obama in 2016, Mr Bush in 2008 and Ronald Reagan in 1982.

RECORD POLICE PRESENCE

One of the biggest ever police operations is being staged to cover Mr Trump's brief stay in the UK.

Nearly every force in England and Wales has contributed officers to help with the massive mobilisation, the biggest since the 2011 riots.

Mr Trump's royal encounter is not a state visit - an offer that was extended to him by Prime Minister Theresa May in the early days of his presidency.

There will be no carriage procession and no opulent state banquet, and Buckingham Palace said no other members of the royal family will call in to Windsor to meet the billionaire-turned-politician.

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