Johnson 'glad' to see Trump go, says ex-Civil Service head Lord Sedwill

Boris Johnson will be glad Donald Trump has not been re-elected for a second term as US president, ex-Civil Service head Lord Sedwill has suggested.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Lord 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.

And in 2015, when he was Mayor of London, Mr Johnson accused him of "stupefying ignorance" over his comments about violence in the city.

But after Mr Trump's victory in the US election in 2016, then Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson said there was a "lot to be positive about", and while running for the Conservative leadership in 2019, he said the President had "many good qualities".

Mr Trump later praised Mr Johnson, saying: "they call him Britain Trump".

Mr Johnson congratulated Mr Biden in a phone call after his US election win, saying he looked forward to "strengthening the partnership" between the US and UK.

But BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said Lord Sedwill's remarks would not be unhelpful to Downing Street as any perception in Washington that Mr Johnson was like Mr Trump becomes a liability with the arrival of President Biden.

In his Daily Mail article, Lord Sedwill, who was the UK'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.

The former Cabinet Secretary said: "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."

Lord Sedwill added: "With Brexit accomplished and the Biden administration ready to re-engage, this is the moment for Global Britain to step up."