Bush will visit as Britain gears up for election
By Patrick Hennessy, Political Editor
(Filed: 14/11/2004)

George Bush is to visit Britain in February, thrusting his controversial relationship with Tony Blair into the spotlight in the run-up to next year's general election.

The President is to come to London in three months' time, reciprocating Tony Blair's trip to Washington last week.

Mr Bush's visit, likely to be part of a wider tour of European countries, will pose a problem for the leaders of both main parties as they gear up for a poll expected to be held in or before May.

A senior Bush administration official, questioned last night by reporters about the timing of a presidential trip to Europe, replied: "Well, the President said after the inaugural. That's either January - less likely - or February."

More at:
 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/14/nbush14.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/11/14/ixportaltop.html

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Bush February visit rules out snap election

BRIAN BRADY
WESTMINSTER EDITOR
14th Nov 2004

GEORGE Bush will fly to Britain early next year to cement his controversial alliance with Tony Blair, effectively ruling out any chance of the Prime Minister calling a "snap election" in February.

The US president thrashed out plans for the high-profile visit, pencilled in for February, during a summit with Blair in Washington last week. It is expected to be the first overseas visit in George Bush’s diary following his official inauguration in January.

News of the visit dashes any lingering suspicions that Blair had put the Labour machine on alert for a general election in early spring. But Labour’s election strategists believe the trip could be used as a vote-winner in the run-up to an election expected in the spring, particularly as Bush has shown no desire to repair relations with Tory leader Michael Howard, who was refused an audience with the president earlier this year.

The president’s state visit to the UK a year ago was marked by unprecedented protests, culminating in a demonstration against the Iraq war which brought at least 110,000 on to the streets of London.

More at:
 http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1314642004

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See also:
Washington DC anti Bush Inaugural Protests
January 15 - Janurary 20, 2005
 http://www.counter-inaugural.org/index.html

See also:
What happened last time Buch Visited UK
Indymedia UK Bush Protest Coverage Section:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2003/bush/