Trump UK visit: Farage meets president as Tory leader hopefuls reject Trump’s demand NHS is opened to US firms
'Comprehensive' trade deal promised as US leader suggests American involvement in healthcare a possibility
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has insisted the NHS would be “on the table” in any post-Brexit trade talks. “When you’re dealing with trade everything is on the table. So NHS or anything else, a lot more than that,” the US president said at a press conference with Theresa May.
He earlier promised, not for the first time, a “very substantial” post-Brexit trade deal with the UK as he met Ms May on the second day of his state visit, following a lavish royal banquet at Buckingham Palace. The leaders also discussed the role of Huawei in the UK’s 5G network.
Meanwhile, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has said he had a “good meeting” with the president at the US ambassador’s residence and that Mr Trump “really believes in Brexit”.
Mr Farage was photographed being driven into Winfield House on Tuesday afternoon.
He later tweeted: “Good meeting with President Trump - he really believes in Brexit and is loving his trip to London.”
Mr Farage has campaigned for years to take Britain out of the European Union and is one of Trump’s most prominent British supporters. The president has called him a friend.
Mr Farage’s newly founded Brexit Party was the big winner in last month’s European Parliament elections in Britain, scooping up support from voters angry that the UK has not left the EU.
He has criticised the prime minister's divorce deal with the bloc and said Britain should leave the EU without an agreement.
Mr Trump praised Ms May’s handling of Brexit on Tuesday, saying she had gotten a good deal.
Additional reporting by AP. Please allow a moment for the live blog to load
While Donald Trump enjoys his trip to the UK, his former lawyer Michael Cohen says he is “loving” life in prison, according to a person familiar with his first few weeks in jail.
Cohen is housed in a minimum security camp for white collar criminals at Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, about 70 miles from New York City.
“He’s loving it there,” the source told Reuters. “Peace, quiet. He wants to stay there. He’s in the gym every day. He’s loving life.”
The former Trump associate is making friends in prison but “hates the food,” the person added. “This is a guy who ate in all the best restaurants.”
A rural village in west Clare in the Republic of Ireland is making last-minute preparations to welcome Donald Trump on Wednesday afternoon.
The village of Doonbeg, home to Mr Trump’s golf and hotel resort, has been decked out in American flags and bunting to ensure the investor is made to feel welcome.
A major security operation has seen hundreds of Irish law enforcement officers, members of the Defence Forces, private security, sniffer dogs and the Secret Service trawling roads, fields and villages in the small parish – home to around 800 people.
Local residents living close to Trump International Golf Links and Hotel have been issued security passes and photographic identification while travelling to and from their homes.
Murty Doyle, who works for Doonbeg Community Development, said: “I hope to have a pint of cider with him. He’s brought a lot of employment to a small village, we would be lost without him. The protesters are wasting their time.”
More reaction on Donald Trump’s suggestion that the NHS would be “on the table” in any new UK-US trade deal after Brexit.
Sara Gorton, head of health at the Unison union, said: “The government shouldn’t stoop to allowing the NHS to be used as a bargaining chip.”
The GMB union’s national secretary Rehana Azam said Mr Trump is “just waiting to get his hands on our NHS” and “there’s a very real danger Conservatives will just hand it over to him in a trade deal”.
British Medical Association council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: “We have an unequivocal message for the next Conservative leader and future prime minister: profit should never take priority over the protection of the health service and the healthcare of citizens.”
Liberal Democrat leadership hopeful Sir Ed Davey said: “Those who called for Brexit on the basis it would mean better trade deals for the UK should hang their heads in shame.”
Guests have begun arriving at Winfield House, where the Donald and Melania Trump are hosting a “return dinner” for members of the Royal Family. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are attending on behalf the Queen. We’re expected to get details of this evening’s menu after 8pm.
Here’s Donald Trump’s schedule for the rest of the day in the UK:
7:45pm - Trump meets Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall
8:10pm - Pre-reciprocal dinner reception
8:20pm - Pre-dinner presentation
8:35pm - Trump and the first lady participate in reciprocal dinner
9:50 - Trump and the first lady participate in guest book signing
Donald and Melania Trump are currently being greeted by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. The pairs are posing for photographs before heading into a pre-dinner reception.
Meanwhile, back home...
The White House has reportedly instructed former officials Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson not to give the House Judiciary Committee documents related to their time working for the president, in the latest conflict between congressional investigators and the West Wing following the release of the Mueller report.
The president has tweeted about his battle for a US-Mexico border wall while travelling through the UK, writing on Tuesday: “Just had a big victory in Federal Court over the Democrats in the House on the desperately needed Border Wall. A big step in the right direction. Wall is under construction!”
Here's more on Donald Trump's meeting with Nigel Farage at the US ambassador's residence:
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