Council chief blasted ‘ludicrous’ Trump as he helped save the blimp

Newly-released emails show a Labour council leader took a swipe at Donald Trump as a museum acquired the baby blimp (Picture: Getty/PA)

A council chief branded Donald Trump ‘ludicrous’ and thanked protesters for ridiculing the ‘bloody man’ as he helped acquire the giant Trump Baby blimp for a museum.

Islington Council leader Richard Watts said the oversized inflatable mocking the former US President ‘was one of the most iconic London protests of all time’ in correspondence with its owners.

The 20ft-tall balloon has been acquired by the Museum of London and is due to go on display when the visitor attraction moves to a new home in the heart of the city.

The registered charity says it does not have a stance on politics in the US and only features protests to reflect the lives of Londoners and the stands they have taken.

However Cllr Watts, who is also a governor at the museum, made his own views plain in an email exchange released by the gallery under the Freedom of Information Act. The Labour council boss said today that he had spoken in a personal capacity and the museum has its own process for collecting exhibits, which governors are not involved in.

Cllr Watts was speaking to the Islington Play Association, which had hosted the helium-filled balloon on its grounds in north London before it was used in a demonstration as Trump visited London in July 2018.

PRI 179477816

The Trump Baby blimp provided one of the standout images of the protests against the former US President on his visits to the UK (Picture: PA)

The blimp, showing the former US President in a nappy and clutching a mobile phone, was flown over Parliament Square before being refloated into the sky once again when he returned to the UK the following year.

It then went on display around the world before finding a permanent home at the museum, which is due to move from its home in central London to another location in nearby West Smithfield, within the city’s Culture Mile.

Cllr Watts said: ‘First, I’d like to congratulate you on the massive success of Trump Baby in making the bloody man feel “unwelcome”.

‘I lead Islington Council who own the playgrounds used by the Islington Play Association and fund much of their work. I was really pleased we were able to indirectly play a small part in supporting your work. We’re incredibly proud of the diversity and tolerance of our little patch of London and Trump stands opposed to everything we believe in.

‘Trump Baby really captured the ludicrous nature of the man. I can’t think of a more successful protest in recent years – many congratulations.’

Cllr Watts told the protesters, known as the ‘Trump Baby babysitters’, that the orange effigy would be a standout exhibit at the museum.

He said: ‘MoL [Museum of London] is a great place and has a particular interest in charting – and celebrating – protest in London.

‘For example, we have the Brian Haw collection; the possessions of the long standing anti-war protester.

‘The Museum would LOVE to provide a home to the Trump Baby, as one of the most iconic London protests of all time.’

The Trump baby blimp is flown at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin as protestors hold up letters spelling the phrase 'Home with You' during US President Donald Trump's visit to the Republic of Ireland. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday June 6, 2019. See PA story IRISH Trump. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

The Trump Baby blimp is flown at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin as protesters hold up letters spelling the phrase ‘home with You’ (Picture: PA)

The blimp will join the museum’s protest collection, also comprising objects relating to the Suffrage moment and placards used by protesters against Government spending cuts. The gallery is also seeking to acquire another blimp mocking London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

A prominent feature of the anti-Trump rallies, the balloon is regarded as an example of a new era of protesting aimed at creating ‘Instagrammable’ moments. It has flown in Argentina, Denmark, France and Ireland and the design has been copied around the world.

Trump has said of his likeness: ‘I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, no reason for me to go to London.’

PRI 179477831

Donald Trump alongside the Queen during the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Portsmouth (Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA wire)

The museum’s director Sharon Ament, announced the acquisition last month before Trump gave way to Joe Biden.

She said: ‘By collecting the baby blimp we can mark the wave of feeling that washed over the city that day and capture a particular moment of resistance – a feeling still relevant today as we live through these exceptionally challenging times – that ultimately shows Londoners banding together in the face of extreme adversity.’

The creators, also known as the Trump Baby team, said: ‘We hope the baby’s place in the museum will stand as a reminder of when London stood against Trump – but will prompt those who see it to examine how they can continue the fight against the politics of hate.’

July 13, 2018 - London, London, UK - Crowds gather in Parliament Square to see an inflatable blimp depicting than angry baby United States President Donald Trump in London, Britain on July 13, 2018. The crowd-funded blimp was on show during the President's working visit to the UK. (Credit Image: ?? Ray Tang via ZUMA Press)

Crowds gather in Parliament Square to see the inflatable blimp depicting an angry Donald Trump during his visit in July 2018 (Picture: PA)

Cllr Watts told Metro.co.uk: ‘The email, which came from my own email account, purely expresses my own views and at no stage claims to express these opinions on behalf of, or speak for, the Museum of London.

‘I’m struggling to see how the wording can, in good faith, be interpreted as speaking on behalf of the museum. The museum has its own processes for collecting potential exhibits, which Governors are not involved in.

‘I do speak in my role as Leader of Islington Council and, wearing that hat, stand be these views, which are widely shared in my borough. 

‘The Museum of London is strictly non-party political. It does however stock exhibits from a range of political protests, including protests of both the political left and right and other social movements too, which reflect protest as a part of London life.’

Metro.co.uk has approached the museum for comment.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Recommended For You