Inside Politics: Boris Johnson dodges photo with Trump despite No 10 meeting

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There are only eight days until we go to the polls

When was the last time you wept? Brad Pitt has revealed he hadn’t cried – not a single tear – in 20 years. If the actor only chose to follow the UK’s general election campaign, he would surely be blubbing and boohooing along with the rest of us. The Queen, the world’s reigning champion of emotional repression, made sure rictus grins were in place at a Buckingham Palace reception for Nato politicians. But Boris Johnson now has to cope with all the whimpering and whining as he hosts talks between the at-odds leaders. Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, will be hoping to cause more sobbing and anguish at CCHQ as Labour climbs in the polls during the final stretch. I’m Adam Forrest, and welcome to The Independent’s Inside Politics newsletter.

Inside the bubble

Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for today:

Boris Johnson will squeeze in some campaigning today, but his main priority will be smoothing over serious differences between Nato leaders when he hosts their 70th anniversary meeting at a luxury hotel near Watford. He and Donald Trump will hold separate press conferences, so as not to look too chummy. On the campaign trail, the Conservatives will be pledging £4.2bn for local public transport services, while Labour’s John McDonnell will make a major speech on the economy in Birmingham. Jo Swinson, meanwhile, will hope to avoid the same fate as Jeremy Corbyn when she is interviewed by the BBC’s Andrew Neil.

Daily briefing

BIGMOUTH STRIKES AGAIN: Downing Street was hoping he would keep his trap shut about the election, but it was too much too hope for. Donald Trump said he was a “fan of Brexit,” judged Boris Johnson to be doing a “good job” and declared the US wanted “nothing to do with” the NHS. Wouldn’t even touch it if the Brits handed it over “on a silver platter,” he said, in an entirely unbelievable claim. Johnson and Trump did enjoy an “off-camera, one-to-one meeting” at Downing Street. But Don and Melania were actually seen waiting for several minutes in the shivering cold to get inside No 10 – so maybe the PM will be in the bad books. Justin Trudeau will certainly be in the bad books. He was caught at the Buckingham Palace reception smirking and gossiping about Trump’s press conference – telling Johnson, Emmanuel Macron and Princess Anne (!) that you could see the US president’s team “jaws drop”.

DIGITAL DISRESPECT: The serious business begins today in that luxury hotel on the outskirts of Watford (I know, it’s hard to imagine). Johnson is about to risk a proper rift with Trump by pushing ahead with a tax on the US tech giants, saying they had to make a “fairer contribution”. Trump addressed the issue yesterday with a reluctant defence of Silicon Valley. “Look, I’m not in love with those companies – Facebook, Google and all of them. But they are American companies.” The president has been threatening France with tariffs on champagne and cheese after the country brought in a similar “digital” tax on big tech. Trump’s beef with Macron looks like it’s bigger as ever. The US president attacked the French leader’s “nasty” and “disrespectful” comments about Nato being brain dead. Is Macron running out of ways to charm Trump every time they fight?

WEASEL WORDS: Everyone listens to celebrities at elections, don’t they? I’m sure you’re all on tenterhooks waiting to hear who Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters wants us to vote for this time. In the utterly vain hope anyone cares what they think, a group of 40 public figures have written an open letter backing Labour. The somewhat predictable list includes Ken Loach, Kate Tempest, Steve Coogan and … Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters. It seems plenty of people already have a fixed view of the Labour leader. Voters taking part in a focus group organised by The Times were asked to describe what animal best epitomised Corbyn. They said “weasel”, “hyena” and “wet lettuce” (that well-known animal). He was also compared to a panda “falling out of a tree and not really knowing what he is doing” and the Argus Filch from the Harry Potter books, skulking along corridors.

DEMS THE BREAK-UPS: Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson didn’t fare much better with the same Times focus group, described as “clueless” and “pathetic”. Her party’s brief rom-com with Hugh Grant appears to have ended after the star attacked a misleading tweet. “Only the Lib Dems can take seats off the Tories,” the party’s official account stated. The actor – who is advising tactical voting to help the strongest Remain candidates – pointed out the claim was “not true”. Swinson, meanwhile, has been forced to suspend a member of Lib Dem staff for “faking” an email, part of a dispute with the OpenDemocracy website. None of which is ideal preparation for her no-doubt extremely experience of being interviewed by Andrew Neil live on the BBC.

NOT-SO-COSY COUCH: The Tory party leader – described as “a snake” by one focus group participant – is slithering out of his interview with Andrew Neil. But Johnson has bravely agreed to appear on This Morning with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. You may scoff, but the light entertainment hosts have emerged as major players in this election. Pip and Holly managed to do something the BBC’s great inquisitor could not, getting Jeremy Corbyn to use the word “sorry” over antisemitism when he appeared on the This Morning couch. After Willoughby asked why “sorry seemed to be the hardest word,” a cantankerous Corbyn eventually conceded: “Obviously I’m very sorry for everything that has happened.”

On the record

“I don’t even know where that rumour started. I have nothing to do with it [the NHS], never even thought about it.”

Donald Trump is suddenly confused by a “rumour,” having publicly stated the NHS was “on the table” back in June.

From the Twitterati

“Donald Trump was stuck out in the freezing cold of Downing Street for about five minute. I am not sure he’ll have been thrilled.”

Robert Peston times the president’s long wait outside No 10...

“Never thought I’d have to admit to having a “favourite moth” (shut up) but it falls upon me to say that Melania is cosplaying as the rosy maple.”

…while The Guardian’s Hannah Jane Parkinson spent too much time studying Melania’s pink-and-yellow outfit.

Essential reading

Christian Broughton, The Independent: An invitation from the editor to secure the Final Say referendum you deserve

Tom Peck, The Independent: Trump’s instructions not to ‘interfere’ in the UK’s general election lasted seconds

Christopher Meyer, The Spectator: Trump’s visit couldn’t come at a worse time – for Boris and for Nato

Karen Tumulty, The Washington Post: Kamala Harris lacked what was most important of all

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