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America's ambassador in London today signalled that Donald Trump is due to visit Britain early next year - sparking fresh calls for mass demonstrations against the US president.

Mr Trump is expected to arrive in London in February for the opening of the new US embassy in Nine Elms.

Neither the White House nor Downing Street have confirmed the visit.

However, ambassador Woody Johnson told the BBC: “Absolutely, I think he will come.

“It hasn’t been officially announced but I hope he does.”

Mr Trump’s visit is not expected to be a full pomp and circumstance state visit during which he would be hosted by the Queen.

However, there is strong opposition to even a government-to-government trip during which the US president would meet Theresa May at No10.

Mr Trump angered many people in Britain by lashing out at Theresa May after she reprimanded him for retweeting Britain First messages, for criticising London Mayor Sadiq Khan over his response to the London Bridge terror attack, and for other policies and actions.

Mr Khan said this morning: “London is a beacon of diversity. It is one of our strengths. Many of us love America and Americans, but President Trump has on a number of occasions shown his views are inconsistent with the values Londoners hold dear.

“It is clear that any official visit here would not be welcomed.”

Mr Johnson admitted that “feathers were ruffled” with the bust-up between Mr Trump and Mrs May.

But he insisted that some of the row was down to “misinterpretation” and was on a background of the president’s determination to “protect Americans”.

He added: “He is not going to go down the path of a lot of politicians and maybe be namby pamby about it.

“He is going to come out, he is going to probably take some chances...to accomplish that security goal.

“But you have to have confidence to look down the road and good things are going to happen.”

He stressed that shared security and prosperity were “upmost in his mind”.

He also emphasised that the American people had elected Mr Trump because they wanted a different type of politician and rejected accusations that he was narcissistic, thin-skinned and someone “who does not grasp the complexities of the world”.

Diplomatic experts are predicting mass demonstrations against Mr Trump when he visits Britain on a scale of the protests against George W Bush in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq War when between 100,000 to 200,000 took to the streets of London.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Donald Trump’s reckless actions are making the world less safe and setting back global action on climate change. When he comes to Britain, people will make their views known on these issues and show him we are a diverse and inclusive society.”

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokeswoman Jo Swinson said: “Britain should stand tall and declare he is not welcome, period.”

Labour MP Wes Streeting added: “I hope people will take to the streets to peacefully protest.”

Meanwhile, Chancellor Philip Hammond and other EU finance ministers have warned Washington that US tax reforms could breach international rules and damage world trade.

In a sharply worded letter, ministers from the five largest EU economies, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Spain, said US domestic tax policy must be consistent with its international treaty obligations.

The move comes amid concerns in Europe that measures going through Congress could damage European companies.