General Election 2019: Johnson says it is ‘best’ Trump does not interfere in the campaign during visit to London
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said it would be “best” if Donald Trump does not get involved in the UK’s general election when he visits London next week.
Trump, who is coming to the UK for a NATO summit, previously voiced his opinions on the election campaign.
In October he said Jeremy Corbyn would be “so bad” as Prime Minister, while he called on Johnson to form a pact with Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.
Read more: UK consumer confidence is at its lowest point since 2013 ahead of General Election
And there is some concern among Tories that Trump could upset the campaign.
“What we don’t do traditionally as loving allies and friends, what we don’t do traditionally, is get involved in each other’s election campaigns,” Johnson told LBC radio.
“The best (thing) when you have close friends and allies like the U.S. and the UK is for neither side to get involved in each other’s election.”
Johnson, who has promised to deliver Brexit by 31 January if he retains power, has said he expected a trade deal with the EU to be completed by the end of next year.
“Many of those preparations will be extremely valuable as we come out of EU arrangements anyway,” he told reporters.
He also dismissed claims that the NHS is for sale – a rhetoric repeated regularly by opposition party Labour.
Read more: General Election 2019: Neither Tory or Labour fiscal plans add up, says IFS
Corbyn has accused Johnson of being willing to sell off parts of the national health service to US businesses after Brexit.
Trump has previously said everything including health should be on the table in trade talks, but later said health would not be.
“The NHS is not for sale,” Johnson said, adding that he would use Brexit to introduce new state aid rules, change state purchasing policies and reform farming so that pubic bodies aim to “buy British” goods.