UK Government Prepares for Trump Victory

British diplomats have been holding “very productive” meetings with representatives of Donald Trump’s campaign, as the chances of him becoming president have increased in recent days.

There had been a “period of complacency” on the part of the British when Hillary Clinton looked set to win, one UK government minister told The Times.

However, as the polls began to shift since the FBI reopened its investigation into Mrs. Clinton, the British government has been taking the prospect of a President Trump far more seriously.

“The tempo has picked up a lot,” the minister told the paper.

One of Mr. Trump’s foreign advisers, the London-based lawyer George Papadopoulos, said he had had “very productive talks with representatives of the [UK] Foreign Office”.

Furthermore, Sir Kim Darroch, Britain’s ambassador to the U.S., has scheduled meetings with senior members of both Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton’s teams.

It is also reported that Prime Minister Theresa May has been told a benefit of Mr. Trump winning would be his embrace of Brexit.

He has previously said the UK would be at the front of the queue for forming trade deals with the U.S. after she leaves the European Union (EU). The remarks followed President Obama saying the UK would go to the “back of the queue” for trade deals after Brexit.

Mr. Trump has also described himself as “Mr. Brexit” as he thinks he can emulate the unexpected, anti-establishment tvote to leave the EU.

The new prime minister ushered in by the Brexit vote is also set to ease future relations between the UK and a possible Trump administration.

Former Prime Minister David Cameron refused to apologise after he called Mr. Trump’s proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S. “divisive, stupid, and wrong” and suggested Britain would unite in condemnation if Mr. Trump made an official visit to the UK.

Mr. Cameron resigned after the referendum and his replacement, Mrs. May, is yet to comment on either the Democratic or Republican candidates.