The Republican presidential hopeful Scott Walker was due to meet David Cameron on Tuesday evening, kicking off a four-day trade mission to the UK that has been interpreted as an attempt to demonstrate the Wisconsin governor’s credentials as an international statesman.
Downing Street confirmed there would be a private meeting and declined to share any details of what would be discussed.
Last week the New Jersey governor, Chris Christie, who is also thought to have his sights on the Republican presidential nomination, visited the UK on a similar trip. The visit backfired when he was caught off guard by the more aggressive approach to questioning taken by British journalists.
Asked about the ongoing debate surrounding the safety of measles vaccines, Christie said that although he had had his children vaccinated, it should be a choice for parents. His comments were criticised as contributing to misinformation about the vaccine.
Walker is thought to be trying to avoid a similar fate by steering clear of any confrontation with the press on his trip. On Wednesday the governor will attend a networking breakfast for alumni of the University of Wisconsin and Marquette University who live and work in the UK, and in the evening he will give a speech on the global economy at Chatham House – the only public event of the trip.
It is Walker’s third official overseas trade mission, after trips to China and Japan, since he became governor in 2011. He is also planning a trip to Israel, a common destination for aspiring presidents.
The UK is another favourite of aspiring presidential candidates. The Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, the Texas governor Rick Perry, the former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and the Florida senator Marco Rubio have all visited in the past year. Hillary Clinton visited the UK to promote her book last summer.
