Boris Johnson to tell Donald Trump NHS is ‘off the table’
2 min read
Boris Johnson is expected to tell US president Donald Trump the NHS would not be “on the table” in any post-Brexit trade deal.
The two world leaders will meet for the first time since Mr Johnson became PM at the G7 summit in Biarritz, in France, on Sunday.
Mr Johnson is seeking a trade deal with the US “as quickly as possible” but is expected to tell the President neither the health service nor animal welfare standards are up for negotiation.
According to the Telegraph, British government sources believe the US is deliberately “playing up” the potential trade deal to assist the UK in its crunch talks with Brussels.
Speaking ahead of the event, Mr Johnson insisted Britain would not “retreat” from international affairs after leaving the EU.
“Britain will never flinch from the special responsibilities that go with being a pillar and an architect of the international system,” he said.
“Some people question the democratic decision this country has made, fearing we will retreat from the world. Some think Britain’s best days are behind us. To those people I say: You are gravely mistaken.”
His comments come after French president Emmanual Macron suggested the UK could become a “junior partner” in a future trade deal with the US, in a position of “historic vassalisation”.
Following meetings with leaders from Canada, Japan and Italy, Mr Johnson will also hold face-to-face talks with Donald Tusk, European council president, as the UK government works to meet the 30-day time limit for reworking the Brexit deal.
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