Donald Trump has praised Boris Johnson as the “right man for the job” of delivering Brexit at the G7 summit in Biarritz on Sunday.
The US president promised a “very big trade deal” as the two leaders held their first meeting. However, the prime minister has warned a deal with the US will not be “plain sailing”.
Mr Johnson also discussed Brexit with Donald Tusk, the European Council president, after the pair clashed on Saturday over who would be to blame for a no-deal Brexit.
Welcome to live updates from The Independent on the G7 summit in Biarritz, France.
Boris Johnson will meet with Donald Trump today to discuss a post-Brexit trade deal. He will also discuss Brexit with Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, after the two clashed yesterday.
Mr Trump has said Mr Johnson is the "right man" to deliver Brexit.
Speaking on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Mr Trump was asked what his advice was for Britain's departure from the European Union.
Mr Trump responded: "He needs no advice. He is the right man for the job."
Mr Johnson replied that the president was "on message there."
The much-anticipated meeting was the first since Mr Johnson took Britain's top job last month. The pair met for a working breakfast after being photographed on last night walking and talking on the margins of the summit.
Mr Johnson desperately needs a US trade deal post-Brexit, as Britain will lose its easy access to the EU's single market.
Here's more on Mr Johnson warning that negotiating a post-Brexit trade deal with the US will not be "plain sailing", from Andrew Woodcock, our political editor in Biarritz:
Post-Brexit trade deal with US won’t be ‘plain sailing’, warns Johnson
Prime minister to confront US president over restrictions to trade for UK pork pies, railway carriages and cauliflowersAhead of Mr Trump's meeting with Mr Johnson, the US government had talked up the prospect of a new era in the special relationship.
But Mr Johnson told reporters that while there was "a massive opportunity" for Britain, "it is not all going to be plain sailing".
"There remain very considerable barriers in the US to British businesses which are not widely understood," he said.
Mr Johnson said he had discussed the problems with Mr Trump in an eve-of-summit phone call, and highlighted barriers to the sale of British goods including shower trays, cauliflowers and Melton Mowbray pork pies.
"It is very important if we are going to do a fantastic free trade deal that it is a free trade that works in the interests of British business," the prime minister said.
"There are massive opportunities for UK companies to open up, to prise open the American market.
"We intend to seize those opportunities, but they are going to require our American friends to compromise and to open up their approach because currently there are too many restrictions.
"It goes without saying that there are sectors of the UK economy, not least the NHS, which remain completely off limits as far as any trade deal with America goes.
"We will not allow the NHS to be on the table at all."
Mr Johnson indicated he would be willing to have talks with the US about a tax on tech giants - the UK currently has draft plans on the table on the issue.
Leaders of the G7 are arriving for a working meeting focused on looming threats to the global economy.
The leaders of Britain, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, as well as the European Union, were expected to discuss the spread of trade disputes, notably the US trade war with China.
Here's footage of Mr Trump saying Mr Johnon is the "right man for the job" of delivering Brexit:
Mr Trump and Mr Johnson have directed officials to launch a "special relationship economic working group (SREWG)" following their meeting, according to a joint statement issued by the White House.
Larry Kudlow, the US director of the National Economic Council, and Sir Mark Sedwill, the UK cabinet secretary, have been directed to set up the group.
"The SREWG will develop market-oriented principles for economic growth and increase bilateral co-operation on issues related to the modern 21st-century economy," the White House said.
Here's Mr Johnson and Mr Trump saying a post-Brexit trade could happen "quickly":
Mr Trump and Mr Johnson also discussed Huawei and 5G technology at their bilateral meeting, the White House has said.
"The president and prime minster also addressed global security issues of mutual concern, especially Iran's threat to freedom of navigation in the Gulf, tensions in Hong Kong, 5G and Huawei, and instability in Libya and the Sahel region," the White House said in a statement.
Asked if he had made clear his views on the NHS and animal welfare in trade talks with Mr Trump, Mr Johnson said: "Not only have I made clear of that, the president has made that very, very clear. There is complete unanimity on that point."
At their working breakfast, the prime minister and US president were served seasonal fruits, assorted pastries, scrambled eggs, veal sausages and toast.
Mr Johnson has suggested Mr Trump may be more popular in the UK than is commonly believed.
He said: "President Trump has pioneered a quite remarkable way of communicating directly with the electorate. My impression is that is also popular with large numbers of people in our country."
The US president's close relationship with Mr Johnson has led him to claim the prime minister is described as "Britain Trump".
Mr Trump has been joined by Melania Trump, the US first lady, on the G7 trip, but Mr Johnson's partner Carrie Symonds has not travelled with the prime minister.
The prime minister's other main meeting on today will see him set out face-to-face with Mr Tusk his absolute commitment to the 31 October deadline, even if that means leaving without a deal.
On Saturday, Mr Tusk said he hoped the prime minister would not go down in history as "Mr No Deal".
But the prime minister shot back by suggesting that failure to reach a Brexit agreement would also reflect badly on Mr Tusk.
Mr Tusk warned he would no co-operate with a no-deal Brexit, an apparent sign the European Union would not be willing to create a series of side deals to manage the impact.
In comments as Mr Johnson prepared to board his plane to France, Mr Tusk said: "One thing I will not cooperate on is no deal. I still hope that Prime Minister Johnson will not like to go down in history as 'Mr no deal'.
"We are willing to listen to ideas that are operational, realistic and acceptable to all member states including Ireland, if and when the UK government is ready to put them on the table."
On the way to Biarritz, Mr Johnson gave his response, telling reporters: "I have made it absolutely clear I don't want a no-deal Brexit.
"But I say to our friends in the EU if they don't want a no-deal Brexit then we have got to get rid of the backstop from the treaty.
"If Donald Tusk doesn't want to go down as 'Mr no-deal Brexit' then I hope that point will be borne in mind by him too."
Mr Johnson said he expected talks on his alternative to the backstop "in the coming weeks", with discussions "in great detail" .
Mr Johnson issues "sheeplike" challenge to Mr Trump's trade war with China:
Barry Gardiner, the shadow international trade secretary, has said that a global recession is "much more likely" due to policies being championed by Mr Trump.
He told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "With what Donald Trump has done in introducing the new tariffs that he has suggested on China and the retaliatory tariffs that China is now putting on American goods, we are facing a global recession."
He suggested a global recession is "much more likely if they pursue protectionist and aggressive trade policies".
He added: "What the G7 must focus on is how to rebuild the global economy, how we must look at the World Trade Organisation, where again America and Donald Trump have refused the appointment of new judges to the appellate courts.
"In December this year the World Trade Organisation will no longer be able to function as the mediator of disputes because there will not be enough judges to do so.
"These are the things that G7 should now be focused on, in addition, of course, to what is happening in Brazil with the fires there that are so damaging to the global environment, and indeed to Brazil itself."
Mr Trump has said he expects to strike “a very big trade deal” with the UK. Andrew Woodcock, our political editor in Biarritz, has the full story:
Trump expects to strike 'very big trade deal' with UK after Brexit
US president hails Boris Johnson as 'right man for the job' as the pair meet at the G7 summit in BiarritzFrench authorities have detained 68 people taking part in a tense protest near the G7 summit.
The regional administration says those detained are accused of throwing projectiles, concealing their faces or possessing objects that could be used as weapons.
Police fired tear gas, water cannon and dispersion grenades at a crowd of about 400 mostly peaceful anti-capitalism demonstrators Saturday in the town of Bayonne.
The regional administration said no injuries were reported in the skirmishes.
The G7 leaders have agreed to allow Emmanuel Macron, the French president, to address a message to Iran in their name.
The French presidency said Mr Macron will hold talks with Iranian authorities on the basis of discussions at the G7 summit informal dinner with Mr Trump and other leaders last night.
No details were provided on the message but the French presidency said the goal is to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons and avoid further escalating tensions in the Middle East.
For several months, Mr Macron has taken a lead role in trying to save the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, which has been unraveling since Mr Trump pulled the US out of the agreement.
Mr Macron met with Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Paris on Friday before heading to Biarritz for the summit.
Mr Trump has disputed statements by the French government that the G7 nations agreed to empower Mr Macron to send a message on behalf of the advanced democracies to Iran.
Asked if he signed onto the message, Mr Trump told reporters, "I haven't discussed that."
The French presidency had earlier said the G7 leaders had agreed to allow Mr Macron to address a message to Iran in their name and to hold talks with Iranian officials.
No details were provided on the message but the French presidency said the goal is to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons and avoid further escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Mr Trump said during a bilateral meeting with Abe Shinzo, Japan's prime minister, that he is not stopping any leader from talking with Iran, noting Mr Abe's recent outreach.
He said: "If they want to talk, they can talk."
Mr Johnson has said it is going to be "touch and go" whether the UK gets a Brexit deal with the EU.
In an interview with the BBC, the prime minister said the likelihood of getting a Brexit deal at all now depends on the EU.
He also said Mr trump was very "gung-ho" about getting a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK.
