NHS is off the table in trade talks with Trump

THE Prime Minister will warn Donald Trump that the NHS and animal welfare standards will not be on the table in trade talks when they meet tomorrow.

Boris Johnson will tell the US President they need to strike the ‘right deal’ as they have breakfast on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Biarritz, France.

US officials had suggested signing a series of mini-trade deals with the UK following Brexit, but it is understood Mr Johnson favours one comprehensive agreement.

During his first meeting with Mr Trump as Prime Minister, Mr Johnson is expected to say he will not allow the NHS to be opened up to US firms as part of a trade deal.

Mr Trump sparked controversy when he suggested this during his state visit in June. The Prime Minister will also explain how he will not accept a lowering of animal welfare standards. Meanwhile, President Trump is expected to raise his opposition to a digital services tax on US technology firms including Google, Facebook and Amazon, which the UK is due to introduce next year.

Mr Johnson will tell the President he plans to push ahead with the levy. A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘Of course we want to move quickly, but we want to get the right deal that works for both sides.’ The Daily Mail revealed yesterday how the two leaders will use the meeting to agree to start work on a negotiations timetable. They will then shake hands on the plan when they meet in New York in the last week of September at the UN General Assembly.

■ Mr Johnson has been secretly lobbying for George Osborne to become the next head of the International Monetary Fund.

The PM put the former chancellor’s name forward during a phone conversation with President Trump this week. But Downing Street is thought to be expecting the bid to be unsuccessful. The IMF’s head Christine Lagarde is stepping down next month.