Socialists are gearing up to protest against a president they believe represents the billionaire class.

Fresh off the back ofits public meeting on how Donald Trump can be stopped held last night, the Waltham Forest Socialist Party is leading an East London leftist contingent in marches today.

For the party's members, the Republican leader's visit is emblematic of class issues they see in the UK today.

Nancy Taaffe, Socialist Party member and community activist, said: “We will be joining these protests because we stand in solidarity with all those suffering because of Trump’s policies.

"He represents the billionaire class – the very same people that we are fighting when we defend our town square against fat cat developers, when we defend the Butterfields tenants against the evictions by the speculator landlord, when we stand with young people against all the attacks by the Tories and when we defend working class people against the exploitation and inequality of a system that puts profit before people.

"Trump tries to divide working class people so we’re less able to fight him and his ilk.

"But we stand for building a united socialist movement against Trump and Trumpism in the shape of Tories, Blairites and the other pro-capitalist politicians across the world."

The march which begins in central London at 2pm, culminating at Trafalgar Square for a mass demonstration at 5pm, coincides with classroom walkouts across the country.

Theo Sharieff, Socialist Students national chairman, said: “The Tories are split down the middle over the question of Brexit – but they’re also incredibly weak and divided over the matter of Donald Trump’s visit to Britain. School and college students who are planning to walk out of their classrooms to join protests on 13 July are protesting against Trump, but the Tories also.

"We’re protesting against attacks on our living standards, our university education, and our futures as young people. School walkouts and youth protests this Friday could be the beginning of the end of Theresa May’s government and pave the way for a radical Corbyn led government to take power on the back of a massive wave of youth support. We want the Tories out, and we want them out now."

Others in the area were less impressed with the protests and the large Trump baby balloon however.

Billy Cove, manager of Epping Town FC, Tweeted: "Whether you like him or not, the baby balloon is an absolute embarrassment to our country.

"If people put this much time and energy into protesting against the shambolic way @SadiqKhan has spent his time as @MayorofLondon, maybe a few dead teens could’ve been saved. #TrumpUKVisit."