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| Nigel Farage arrives for meeting with Donald Trump – live news | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Nigel Farage has arrived at the US ambassador’s residence for a meeting with Donald Trump, Reuters is reporting. | |
| BREXIT PARTY LEADER FARAGE ARRIVES AT U.S. AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE IN LONDON - REUTERS PHOTOGRAPHER | |
| And here is the picture. | |
| Earlier my colleagues Heather Stewart and Jessica Elgot reported that Change UK, the new party set up by eight Labour MPs and three Tories after they left their respective parties, was about to split. (See 12.26pm.) | Earlier my colleagues Heather Stewart and Jessica Elgot reported that Change UK, the new party set up by eight Labour MPs and three Tories after they left their respective parties, was about to split. (See 12.26pm.) |
| Heidi Allen, who was Change UK’s interim leader, has now put out a statement confirming this. Six of the party’s 11 MPs are leaving to sit as independents. | Heidi Allen, who was Change UK’s interim leader, has now put out a statement confirming this. Six of the party’s 11 MPs are leaving to sit as independents. |
| Statement from @ChukaUmunna @angelasmithmp @gavinshuker @lucianaberger @sarahwollaston and I pic.twitter.com/dQKy2io1hR | Statement from @ChukaUmunna @angelasmithmp @gavinshuker @lucianaberger @sarahwollaston and I pic.twitter.com/dQKy2io1hR |
| Jeremy Corbyn claims that the NHS would end up up for sale under the “no-deal disaster capitalism plans” for a trade deal with the US championed by Tory leadership contenders. (See 3.53pm.) | Jeremy Corbyn claims that the NHS would end up up for sale under the “no-deal disaster capitalism plans” for a trade deal with the US championed by Tory leadership contenders. (See 3.53pm.) |
| But Dominic Raab, one of the most rightwing leadership contenders, and one of those most relaxed about the prospect of a no-deal Brexit, says Corbyn is wrong. | But Dominic Raab, one of the most rightwing leadership contenders, and one of those most relaxed about the prospect of a no-deal Brexit, says Corbyn is wrong. |
| I want to see the UK get fair deals on trade with the US and many other countries when we leave the EU. But the NHS is not for sale to any country and never would be if I was Prime Minister. | I want to see the UK get fair deals on trade with the US and many other countries when we leave the EU. But the NHS is not for sale to any country and never would be if I was Prime Minister. |
| And Matt Hancock, the current health secretary and another leadership contender, is saying the same thing. | And Matt Hancock, the current health secretary and another leadership contender, is saying the same thing. |
| Dear Mr President. The NHS isn’t on the table in trade talks - and never will be. Not on my watch. | Dear Mr President. The NHS isn’t on the table in trade talks - and never will be. Not on my watch. |
| Yesterday Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary and another leadership contender, said he agreed with Hancock on this issue. | Yesterday Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary and another leadership contender, said he agreed with Hancock on this issue. |
| And Sam Gyimah, the leadership contender seen as having the least chance of winning, also says the NHS should not be on the table in a US-UK trade deal. | And Sam Gyimah, the leadership contender seen as having the least chance of winning, also says the NHS should not be on the table in a US-UK trade deal. |
| Let me state unambiguously that the NHS should not be used as a bargaining chip in any future trade talks. | Let me state unambiguously that the NHS should not be used as a bargaining chip in any future trade talks. |
| This is from Jeremy Corbyn on the Trump/May press conference. | This is from Jeremy Corbyn on the Trump/May press conference. |
| Theresa May stood next to @realDonaldTrump as he said the NHS will be "on the table" in a US trade deal. And that’s what Tory leadership contenders and Farage are lining up for the No Deal disaster capitalism plans they have.They all need to understand: our NHS is not for sale. | Theresa May stood next to @realDonaldTrump as he said the NHS will be "on the table" in a US trade deal. And that’s what Tory leadership contenders and Farage are lining up for the No Deal disaster capitalism plans they have.They all need to understand: our NHS is not for sale. |
| This is from the BBC’s James Cook. | This is from the BBC’s James Cook. |
| I have spent all day on the streets of London. We struggled through throngs of anti-Trump protestors, many tens of thousands of them. I also saw tiny handfuls of Trump fans. This is not fake news. We have the pictures. https://t.co/Cs2gQjrT7S | I have spent all day on the streets of London. We struggled through throngs of anti-Trump protestors, many tens of thousands of them. I also saw tiny handfuls of Trump fans. This is not fake news. We have the pictures. https://t.co/Cs2gQjrT7S |
| The Daily Mirror’s political editor, Pippa Crerar, thinks Labour should have admitted that President Trump refused to meet Jeremy Corbyn before Trump said so at this press conference. | The Daily Mirror’s political editor, Pippa Crerar, thinks Labour should have admitted that President Trump refused to meet Jeremy Corbyn before Trump said so at this press conference. |
| It was a bad call from Labour not to say beforehand that Trump had refused a meeting with Corbyn. They could've acted like the grown-ups in the room. But instead Corbyn ends up looking less than candid. https://t.co/zs1eQAJYM5 | It was a bad call from Labour not to say beforehand that Trump had refused a meeting with Corbyn. They could've acted like the grown-ups in the room. But instead Corbyn ends up looking less than candid. https://t.co/zs1eQAJYM5 |
| This is from the Toronto Star’s Daniel Dale, confirming the point I made earlier about President Trump’s lying about crowd sizes being habitual. | This is from the Toronto Star’s Daniel Dale, confirming the point I made earlier about President Trump’s lying about crowd sizes being habitual. |
| Other times Trump has made things up about large pro-Trump crowds greeting him on his trips: pic.twitter.com/8Jte6xidmR | Other times Trump has made things up about large pro-Trump crowds greeting him on his trips: pic.twitter.com/8Jte6xidmR |
| Donald Trump is famously unpredictable, but that does not mean he always causes mayhem at a news conference (which would make him too easy to predict). There have been occasions when he has run riot at events like this, like the Nato summit in Brussels last year or his last press conference with Theresa May, at Chequers last summer, when he praised Boris Johnson, advised May to adopt a tougher stance over Brexit, and tried (only half-successfully) to wind back comments he made in an interview with the saying the Chequers plan would scupper a UK-US trade deal. And there have been occasions when he has come over as unexpectedly emollient, as he was in the very first Trump/May press conference in the White House in January 2017. | Donald Trump is famously unpredictable, but that does not mean he always causes mayhem at a news conference (which would make him too easy to predict). There have been occasions when he has run riot at events like this, like the Nato summit in Brussels last year or his last press conference with Theresa May, at Chequers last summer, when he praised Boris Johnson, advised May to adopt a tougher stance over Brexit, and tried (only half-successfully) to wind back comments he made in an interview with the saying the Chequers plan would scupper a UK-US trade deal. And there have been occasions when he has come over as unexpectedly emollient, as he was in the very first Trump/May press conference in the White House in January 2017. |
| Today, he was on relatively good behaviour. True, at one point he made a completely ludicrous claim about there being thousands of people on the streets of London to welcome him yesterday, but it is as if lying about the size of crowds has become such a Trump trademark that it no longer seems particularly shocking. On the more substantive stuff, he sounded as if he was out to be helpful. He claimed that the Huawei row between the UK and the US was all but resolved - which may not be true (you can never be sure with Trump), but which may at least lower the temperature a bit in talks with Washington. He confirmed that he would like everything to be on the table in a UK-US trade deal, but it sounded as if he was coaxed into saying this, and it did not seem as if he was setting out to be provocative (even though to some he was - the quotes criticising him on this are already coming in). And, above all, he went out of his way to be complimentary about Theresa May - not in an exaggerated way, like last year; today he sounded more sincere, as if he were acting of consideration, and perhaps even pity. This may well be the last full-on press conference that May holds as prime minister, and it was all rather valedictory. | Today, he was on relatively good behaviour. True, at one point he made a completely ludicrous claim about there being thousands of people on the streets of London to welcome him yesterday, but it is as if lying about the size of crowds has become such a Trump trademark that it no longer seems particularly shocking. On the more substantive stuff, he sounded as if he was out to be helpful. He claimed that the Huawei row between the UK and the US was all but resolved - which may not be true (you can never be sure with Trump), but which may at least lower the temperature a bit in talks with Washington. He confirmed that he would like everything to be on the table in a UK-US trade deal, but it sounded as if he was coaxed into saying this, and it did not seem as if he was setting out to be provocative (even though to some he was - the quotes criticising him on this are already coming in). And, above all, he went out of his way to be complimentary about Theresa May - not in an exaggerated way, like last year; today he sounded more sincere, as if he were acting of consideration, and perhaps even pity. This may well be the last full-on press conference that May holds as prime minister, and it was all rather valedictory. |
| Given that the UK will have a new prime minister in the next few weeks, what Trump had to say about May’s potential successor was perhaps more important than anything he said about May. Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt both got the thumbs up, but rather surprisingly, despite Michael Gove’s hagiographic journalism (see 12.54pm), Trump said he did not have a view about him. It felt a bit as if he was reserving judgment. | Given that the UK will have a new prime minister in the next few weeks, what Trump had to say about May’s potential successor was perhaps more important than anything he said about May. Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt both got the thumbs up, but rather surprisingly, despite Michael Gove’s hagiographic journalism (see 12.54pm), Trump said he did not have a view about him. It felt a bit as if he was reserving judgment. |
| And he also sounded a lot more non-committal about Brexit than in the past. At his press conference with May in Washington in January 2017 he said that Brexit was going to be a “wonderful thing” for the UK. Today, while not criticising Brexit, he sounded more cautious about celebrating it. Perhaps even he is realising that it is all not as easy as Johnson and Gove promised. | And he also sounded a lot more non-committal about Brexit than in the past. At his press conference with May in Washington in January 2017 he said that Brexit was going to be a “wonderful thing” for the UK. Today, while not criticising Brexit, he sounded more cautious about celebrating it. Perhaps even he is realising that it is all not as easy as Johnson and Gove promised. |
| Labour has put out this statement about Jeremy Corbyn requesting a meeting with Donald Trump. A spokesman said: | Labour has put out this statement about Jeremy Corbyn requesting a meeting with Donald Trump. A spokesman said: |
| Jeremy Corbyn proposed a meeting with Donald Trump during the president’s visit. Jeremy is ready to engage with the president on a range of issues, including the climate emergency, threats to peace and the refugee crisis. | Jeremy Corbyn proposed a meeting with Donald Trump during the president’s visit. Jeremy is ready to engage with the president on a range of issues, including the climate emergency, threats to peace and the refugee crisis. |
| Labour sources are confirming that Jeremy Corbyn did request a meeting with President Trump, as he revealed in the press conference. (See 2.25pm.) | Labour sources are confirming that Jeremy Corbyn did request a meeting with President Trump, as he revealed in the press conference. (See 2.25pm.) |
| Q: [To May] Do you think a deal on Brexit is possible? Would it have made a difference if you had followed Trump’s advice on what to do? | Q: [To May] Do you think a deal on Brexit is possible? Would it have made a difference if you had followed Trump’s advice on what to do? |
| May says she still thinks it is in the best interests of the UK to leave the EU with a deal. | May says she still thinks it is in the best interests of the UK to leave the EU with a deal. |
| It will be for whoever succeeds her to take this forward. | It will be for whoever succeeds her to take this forward. |
| She says Trump advised her to sue. She decided not to. She negotiated and got a good deal. | She says Trump advised her to sue. She decided not to. She negotiated and got a good deal. |
| Trump says he would have sued. “But it’s okay,” he says. He says he may have settled. | Trump says he would have sued. “But it’s okay,” he says. He says he may have settled. |
| He says May has done a good job. | He says May has done a good job. |
| Q: [To Trump] What did you say in your conversation with Boris Johnson? And will you meet Michael Gove? | Q: [To Trump] What did you say in your conversation with Boris Johnson? And will you meet Michael Gove? |
| Trump says he knows Johnson and likes him. And he knows Jeremy Hunt and likes him too. But he does not know Gove, he says. | Trump says he knows Johnson and likes him. And he knows Jeremy Hunt and likes him too. But he does not know Gove, he says. |
| Trump endorses Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt as possible successors to Theresa May. But he says he does not know Michael Gove. | Trump endorses Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt as possible successors to Theresa May. But he says he does not know Michael Gove. |
| And that’s it. | And that’s it. |
| I will post a verdict, summary and reaction shortly. | I will post a verdict, summary and reaction shortly. |
| Trump says Mexico should stop millions of people entering the US illegally. | Trump says Mexico should stop millions of people entering the US illegally. |
| Mexico can do this, he says. | Mexico can do this, he says. |
| If Mexico does not, the US will keep increasing tariffs. | If Mexico does not, the US will keep increasing tariffs. |
| He says he does not want to believe that Mexico is run by drug cartels. | He says he does not want to believe that Mexico is run by drug cartels. |
| Q: [To Trump] Should everything be on the table in the talks on a UK-US trade deal? | Q: [To Trump] Should everything be on the table in the talks on a UK-US trade deal? |
| Trump says “everything is on the table” in the talks. | Trump says “everything is on the table” in the talks. |
| But May says there will only be a deal if both sides agree. | But May says there will only be a deal if both sides agree. |
| Q: [To May] Will you take Trump’s advice and stay on? | Q: [To May] Will you take Trump’s advice and stay on? |
| “Nice try”, says May. | “Nice try”, says May. |
| She says she is a woman of her word. | She says she is a woman of her word. |
| Q: Should the UK leave the EU? | Q: Should the UK leave the EU? |
| Trump says he has not been following this closely. | Trump says he has not been following this closely. |
| But he thinks the UK should leave. | But he thinks the UK should leave. |
| He claims May has brought the UK to a very good place in this regard. | He claims May has brought the UK to a very good place in this regard. |
| Trump says May has brought the UK to a “good place” in the Brexit negotiation. | Trump says May has brought the UK to a “good place” in the Brexit negotiation. |
| Q: Will you refuse the UK intelligence because of its involvement with Huawei? | Q: Will you refuse the UK intelligence because of its involvement with Huawei? |
| Trump says this will not be a problem because the UK and the US will reach an agreement on what to do about Huawei. | Trump says this will not be a problem because the UK and the US will reach an agreement on what to do about Huawei. |
| Trump says the US and the UK will reach an agreement about a joint approach to Huawei. | Trump says the US and the UK will reach an agreement about a joint approach to Huawei. |
| They are now taking questions. | They are now taking questions. |
| Q: [To Trump] What would you say to Jeremy Corbyn? Could you do a trade deal with him? | Q: [To Trump] What would you say to Jeremy Corbyn? Could you do a trade deal with him? |
| Trump says he does not know Corbyn. Corbyn wanted to meet with him today or tomorrow. He decided not to meet Corbyn, he says. | Trump says he does not know Corbyn. Corbyn wanted to meet with him today or tomorrow. He decided not to meet Corbyn, he says. |
| He says he sees Corbyn as a “negative force”. | He says he sees Corbyn as a “negative force”. |
| Trump claims Corbyn requested a meeting with him. Trump turned Corbyn down, he says. He describes him as a “negative force”. | Trump claims Corbyn requested a meeting with him. Trump turned Corbyn down, he says. He describes him as a “negative force”. |
| Corbyn has been critical of him, he says. He says he does not like people who are critical. | Corbyn has been critical of him, he says. He says he does not like people who are critical. |
| On the subject of the protests, Trump says there were “thousands of people” on the streets cheering him yesterday. And again today. | On the subject of the protests, Trump says there were “thousands of people” on the streets cheering him yesterday. And again today. |
| He says he did not see protesters yesterday. | He says he did not see protesters yesterday. |
| He says he saw some today, but it was a very small group. | He says he saw some today, but it was a very small group. |
| The reports of the protests have been “fake news”. | The reports of the protests have been “fake news”. |
| Trump claims “thousands” of people have been on the streets in London cheering him. (This is not true.) | Trump claims “thousands” of people have been on the streets in London cheering him. (This is not true.) |
| Q: [To May] Do you agree with Trump that Sadiq Khan is a stone cold loser? | Q: [To May] Do you agree with Trump that Sadiq Khan is a stone cold loser? |
| Trump replies to this. | Trump replies to this. |
| He says Khan has been a poor mayor. He is a negative force. He should focus on dealing with the problems he faces, Trump says. | He says Khan has been a poor mayor. He is a negative force. He should focus on dealing with the problems he faces, Trump says. |
| Trump says he is looking forward to agreeing a “phenomenal” trade deal with the UK. | Trump says he is looking forward to agreeing a “phenomenal” trade deal with the UK. |
| He says he will be visiting the Churchill War Rooms later. | He says he will be visiting the Churchill War Rooms later. |
| And he ends by paying tribute to Theresa May, saying she is a professional, and that it has been a pleasure working with her. | And he ends by paying tribute to Theresa May, saying she is a professional, and that it has been a pleasure working with her. |