Trump congratulates Johnson on his election triumph

US president Donald Trump has spoken to Boris Johnson to congratulate him on his general election victory, Downing Street has said.

A No 10 spokesperson said in the course of the telephone call, the two leaders discussed their wish to secure an “ambitious” free trade agreement once Britain has left the EU.

“The prime minister spoke with president Trump, who congratulated him on the result of the general election,” the spokesperson said.

“They discussed the huge importance of the relationship between the UK and US, and looked forward to continued close cooperation on issues such as security and trade, including the negotiation of an ambitious free trade agreement.”

During the election campaign, Labour repeatedly claimed the NHS would be “up for sale” in trade talks with US if the Tories won – a charge vehemently denied by ministers.

When he came to London for the 70th anniversary meeting of Nato leaders at the start of December, Trump also insisted that he had no interest in the UK health service, despite previously suggesting it would be “on the table”.

Tory strategists went to considerable lengths to avoid Johnson appearing alongside the unpredictable president during the course of the visit, fearing he could upset their carefully laid election plans.

Trump had already weighed into the campaign once, urging Johnson to form a pact with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party – and warning that Jeremy Corbyn would be “so bad” for the UK as prime minister.