I've never been a lefty protester, but even I found myself outside Number 10 last night

Friends who are staunch Conservatives have described being apoplectic with rage at Theresa May for the way she’s cosying up to Donald Trump. Others who have never uttered a political sentiment in their lives are suddenly becoming very vocal

Protesters against Donald Trump’s travel ban and his anticipated state visit to the UK outside Downing Street last night (PA)

Protests are not something that I do, they are something that “other people” do. The thought of shouting and touting a banner in the middle of a large crowd has never particularly appealed to me. I have always found it easier to criticise the Government’s (and other’s) actions through alternative methods – writing to an MP, challenging them face to face, or writing comment pieces or blogs on the situation at hand and then quietly waiting for change to come through the usual channels.

But the events of the past couple of weeks have altered my thinking. One look at Theresa May’s relationship with Donald Trump tells me the usual channels have stopped working. May’s discarding of the huge petition to stop Donald Trump coming to the UK on a state visit, which had garnered more than 1.6 million signatures at the time of writing, was rather the last straw for many. And so, last night, I found myself protesting.

The fact that our Prime Minister has so easily cast aside the protestations of so many of her citizens is a huge tactical error. Perhaps she views this opposition as a vocal minority, made up largely of Corbynistas and members of the so-called “Generation Snowflake”. But as I proved last night, those assumptions couldn’t be more wrong.

And it’s not just while protesting I’ve witnessed this coalition of opponents. When compiling the letters page for The Independent on Monday, I found the email inbox bursting with three times more contributions than usually submitted from our readers. The majority were discussing Trump, May and the prospect of a state visit – and all were furious. These letters came from men and women from across the UK and abroad, of all ages, and all backgrounds. Some were simply asking how they could sign the petition themselves.

Protests against the UK’s diplomatic relationship with Donald Trump are coming from all ends of the electoral spectrum – from the Socialist Workers Party and the Corbyn brigade, of course, but all the way round to Conservative voters. Theresa May could have brushed aside the anger of a few lefties with ease, but to go against her own voters and a large number of political centrists for the sake of a yet-to-be-revealed trade deal was not a sensible move.

May’s high approval ratings rely on her support from centrist voters, the ones who swing, election by election, from Labour to Conservative. As someone who naturally sits on the centre, friends of mine who have been staunch Conservatives for years have described being apoplectic with rage at the situation that has unfolded in the last few days, all thanks to a Tory Prime Minister. Other friends and family members who have never uttered a political sentiment in their lives are suddenly becoming very vocal, attempting to find a local demonstration to physically show their displeasure at the situation.

Protesting newbies like myself were not prepared for the large crowds that met us last night, but the whole event had a cathartic feeling to it. Yes, Theresa May was in Dublin, far away from the tens of thousands shouting at her doorstep, but the feeling of solidarity was enough.

People of all political leanings were united in the same chants, fighting the same injustices. People who usually find themselves at odds with one another’s views were standing together to fight. In Brexit Britain, we had found some unity in fighting against the actions of Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister can choose to ignore the protestations over Trump’s state visit to the UK for now, but she should be aware that she cannot hide behind the door of 10 Downing Street forever. For now, May is revealing herself to be answerable to the powers across the pond but not to the people that first put her party in power. She should remember that, when a general election comes around, Trump may have long forgotten of her hospitality towards him – but her voters will not.