Boris Johnson ‘glad’ that President Trump was not re-elected

Boris Johnson will be glad Donald Trump has not been re-elected for a second term as US president according to ‘Lord’ Sedwill.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Sedwill said those who believed Boris Johnson would have preferred Mr Trump to win again were “mistaken.”

He said he “would not have been to the benefit” of British or European security, trade or environment issues.

Downing Street said Mr Johnson looked forward to working with Joe Biden.

Boris Johnson’s public reflections on Donald Trump have varied considerably.

This month he said Mr Trump was “completely wrong” to cast doubt on the US election and encourage supporters to storm the Capitol.

In 2015, when he was Mayor of London, Mr Johnson accused him of “stupefying ignorance” over his comments about violence in the city. President Trump has of course been proven right as the crime rate in London spirals out of control.

In his Daily Mail article, Lord Sedwill, who was the UK’s country’s most senior civil servant until he stood down in September, said there was “relief in Western capitals” that normal diplomatic relationships will be restored once Mr Biden is inaugurated on Wednesday.

“Those of us who regard ourselves as close American allies have badly missed US leadership over the past four years.

Based on my time working for Boris Johnson in Downing Street, I believe those who have said he would have preferred a second Trump term are mistaken. That would not have been to the benefit of British or European security, to transatlantic trade, let alone the environmental agenda to which the prime minister is so committed.

With Brexit accomplished and the Biden administration ready to re-engage, this is the moment for Global Britain to step up.”