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Romford Tory MP Andrew Rosindell has said that the treatment of the statue is an “insult” to one of the great US Presidents who won the Cold War and was famous for his close working relationship with Margaret Thatcher.
The Reagan statue was unveiled in 2011 in Grosvenor Square just outside the former US Embassy building to mark a centenary since his birth.
The event at the time was attended by 2,000 guests who listened to remarks by British Foreign Secretary William Hague, former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and the then US ambassador, Louis Susman.
But since the embassy moved to its new home in Wandsworth, the statue has been neglected and pictures have emerged of it almost covered in plants which have overgrown around it.
Ahead of the current US President Donald Trump’s visit next week, Mr Rosindell has said that the statue needs to be restored and properly cared for.
But he has gone further and called for it to be moved to Parliament Square to join other great world leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Ghandi and Jan Smuts.
Mr Rosindell said: “President Reagan was a loyal friend of the United Kingdom and British people. It is so disappointing to see his statue looking uncared for and shameful that this has been allowed to happen!
“Mrs Thatcher, together with Ronald Reagan led the free world in the 1980s and defeated the threat of Communist domination, ended the Cold War and fought for our freedom. The memory of Ronald Reagan deserves better than this!
“Let’s Make The Reagan Statue Visible Again, before it becomes a bit of an insult.”
He added: “I support the idea of moving the statue to a place of honour in Parliament Square. It’s the least he deserves.”
Mr Reagan became President in 1981 and served two terms turning his country’s economy around and winning the Cold War.
When the former Governor of California and Hollywood actor died in 2004 aged 93 his funeral was attended by his closest international ally, Baroness Thatcher.
A spokesman for Westminster Council said the statue is on land looked after by Grosvenor Estate which is developing the former embassy site.
However, he said a condition of planning permission for the site was that the statue is moved to a prominent location in the square.
He said: “We will ensure the statue will retain its pride of place in Grosvenor Square.”
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