Theresa May has welcomed Donald Trump's promise of a "quick" free trade deal after the UK leaves the EU.

In an interview with MP Michael Gove for The Times newspaper, the President-Elect said his administration would "work very hard" to get a trade deal "done quickly and done properly".

The billionaire Republican praised the Brexit vote as a demonstration that British people "want their own identity".

In contrast to Barack Obama, who said the UK would be at the "back of the queue" for trade talks, Mr Trump made clear a deal with Britain would be a priority for his administration.

Responding to the comments made to the former Justice Secretary, who interviewed Mr Trump in his capacity as a Times columnist, Mrs May's spokeswoman said: "We welcome the commitment from the President-Elect to engage with the UK on this, to work together to agree a deal quickly.


"That highlights one of the opportunities of the UK leaving the EU."

Mr Trump's overture will be welcomed by Number 10 ahead of Mrs May's big speech on Brexit on Tuesday.

The President-elect spoke to the prominent Leave campaigner in his New York office - making Mr Gove the second British politician, and the first MP, to get a meeting.

He made clear that, unlike Mr Obama who backed Remain in the referendum, he supported the narrow win for the Leave campaign.

He said: "People, countries, want their own identity and the UK wanted its own identity. Brexit is going to end up being a great thing."

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The meeting between Mr Trump and former Tory leadership contender Mr Gove is another potentially awkward episode for the Prime Minister, who will not visit the new President in the White House until some weeks from now.

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage also met Mr Trump last year and while Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited the US last week, he only met with members of the incoming administration, including Mr Trump's son-in-law.

Speaking to Sky News on Monday, Mr Gove, a former journalist, who is paid a reported £150,000 a year as a columnist for the newspaper, insisted he was only visiting Mr Trump for the article and not in a "political capacity".

He said Mr Trump had spoken very warmly about Mrs May and his team had got on well with Mr Johnson during his visit.

PM: 'Trump comments unacceptable'

Mr Gove said Mrs May and Mr Trump "are different people and the Prime Minister has been clear, and I think absolutely right, when she has been critical of some of the things Donald Trump has said and done in the past.

"But the Prime Minister also knows that a strong relationship between Britain and America on a business-like basis can work in both our interests."

During her first broadcast interview of the year with Sky's Sophy Ridge, Mrs May criticised the way Mr Trump had spoken about women.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: "I think it's very good news that the United States of America want to do a good free trade deal with us and wants to do it very fast and it's great to hear that from President-elect Donald Trump.

"Clearly it will have to be a deal that is very much in the interests of both sides but I have no doubt that it will be."

Fast US-UK free trade deal is good news, says Boris Johnson

But former adviser to Bill Clinton, Albert Scardino, warned on Sky News that getting a UK-US trade deal done may not happen quickly because the Senate had to approve it

He said: "He is going to find, when he gets to office, is (that) the presidency is nothing like being the CEO of your own business.

"Just because you say things, doesn't mean they are going to get done."

During his interview for The Times, Mr Trump also said he believed Europe's migration crisis had been the deciding factor in the referendum.

He said: "I do believe this, if they (EU countries) hadn't been forced to take in all of the refugees, so many, with all the problems that it... entails, I think that you wouldn't have a Brexit.

"It probably could have worked out but this was the final straw, this was the final straw that broke the camel's back."

Farage: Trump will be unlike every other US president

Mr Trump said he believed German Chancellor Angela Merkel had made an error when she opened Germany's doors to migrants, referring to refugees as "illegals".

"I think she made one very catastrophic mistake and that was taking all of these illegals," he said.

He also suggested Brexit would lead to other countries leaving the EU.

However, European Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said: "I'm not worried, I think this idea that Brexit is going to be contagious is a fantasy, a bad fantasy.

"Brexit is not a great thing."

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: "Michael Gove has had a rare opportunity to put questions to the most divisive and reactionary President-Elect in modern history and all we get is a puff piece from a clearly admiring fan."

:: Watch live coverage of the inauguration on Sky News from 3pm and Sky Atlantic from 4pm on 20 January. Adam Boulton is in the US presenting a special Sky News programme - Trump: America's President - every day at midnight from now until Friday.

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