WHILE serving as prime minister Boris Johnson told Donald Trump that conversations between the pair about privatising the NHS shouldn’t occur in public.
Before a meeting with the then president in December 2019, Johnson reportedly told Trump that they could talk about selling off the health service “all you like in private” but that they should “keep it to ourselves”.
According to a new book, Johnson at 10: The Inside Story, which details Johnson’s time in Downing Street, his election managers were worried that Trump would sing the praises of privatisation during a visit to the UK.
The book’s authors, Anthony Seldon and Raymond Newell, wrote in The Times that Johnson told Trump: “Some people in my party and other parties might make mischief if you talk about doing that, Donald “Let’s talk about it all you like in private when you’re here, but we can keep it to ourselves.”
READ MORE: SNP MP: ‘Utter disgrace that Andrew claims lordship over Inverness’
The meeting in December was the pair’s first “proper” conversation since Trump’s appearance at the G7 in Biarritz, where the US President argued that Russia should be readmitted to the group.
The authors claim that Trump viewed Johnson as an ally in the rise of right-wing populism in the West and told him: “We’ve got the world by the balls, Boris: what can we do?”.
A member of Johnson’s team in London is also quoted as saying that Trump viewed the prime minister as a “mini-me”
They said: “It was obvious to us that Trump liked him, loved the Churchill patter, and saw him as a mini-me, all a bit awkward for Boris.”
During his time as prime minister, Johnson repeatedly denied that he had any intention of privatising portions of the NHS despite previously expressed support for an “insurance-based” system.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel