Ex-leade of Britain rebukes Johnson

LONDON — British Pr Minister Boris Johnson w comed the start of a n U.K.-U.S. chapter Wednes under incoming U.S. Presid Joe Biden, even as his pre cessor Theresa May accu Johnson of “abandoning” U.K.’s moral leadership in world during the Trump ministration.

May, who resigned in 2 during the turmoil over Bre has been critical of Johnso handling of Britain’s exit fr the European Union. The o criticism is unusual beca both prime ministers repres the Conservative Party.

Writing in the Daily M newspaper, May slamm Johnson’s threat last yea breach the legally bind Brexit treaty he had sig with the EU, and his decis to abandon a commitmen spending 0.7% of Britain’s G on foreign aid.

May said “to lead we m live up to our values.”

“Threatening to break ternational law by going b on a treaty we had just sig and abandoning our posit of global moral leaders as the only major econo to meet both the 2% defe spending target and the 0 international aid target w not actions which, in my v raised our credibility in eyes of the world,” May sa

Since Biden won the U election in November, John has tried to shake off critic that he became too close to mer President Donald Tru

Johnson’s supporters ar that all British prime minis have to forge strong relati ships with the occupan the White House. May w the first world leader to v Trump after his inaugurat in 2017, though their perso relationship was never war

Johnson has congratu ed Biden and noted that t share priorities, includ combating climate change bolstering international in tutions.

Johnson told the Ho of Commons that he loo forward to working w Biden “and with his new ministration, strengthen the partnership between countries and working on shared priorities from tack climate change, building b better from the pandemic strengthening our trans-At tic security.”