Donald Trump reckons UK should leave the EU with no deal and send Nigel Farage to negotiate

President Donald Trump has said the UK should come crashing out of the European Union without a deal and Nigel Farage should be the top negotiator.

Ahead of his state visit in Britain, Trump has attempted to publicly interfere in UK politics twice, initially suggesting Boris Johnson should become the next Prime Minister.

The US president suggested the UK should "walk away" from talks and refuse to pay the £39 billion divorce bill if its requests are not met.

He told the Sunday Times it was a "mistake" not to involve Brexit Party leader Mr Farage in negotiations, saying he has a "lot to offer" and is someone he likes "a lot".

Mr Trump added: "He is a very smart person. They won't bring him in. Think how well they would do if they did. They just haven't figured that out yet."

The president, who will arrive in London on Monday, said the British Government has to "get the deal closed".

He suggested: "If they don't get what they want, I would walk away... If you don't get the deal you want, if you don't get a fair deal, then you walk away."

Mr Trump added that if he was in charge, he would not pay the EU divorce bill, and he claimed it is not too late to "sue" the EU to give Britain greater "ammunition" in the talks.

He told the paper: "If I were them I wouldn't pay 50 billion dollars. That is me. I would not pay, that is a tremendous number."

Meanwhile Mr Trump vowed to "go all out" to secure a free trade deal between the UK and US within months of Britain leaving the EU.

Defying diplomatic norms for the second time in as many days after telling The Sun he backs Boris Johnson to become the next prime minister, Mr Trump also said he would have "to know" Jeremy Corbyn before authorising the sharing of highly sensitive US intelligence.

He also urged the Labour leader to "get along with the United States" if he wants Britain to continue to benefit from US military and intelligence support, the paper reported.

His intervention comes as a dozen MPs battle it out to replace Theresa May as Conservative leader, with several candidates pledging they would be prepared to take the UK out of the EU without a deal

The first day of Mr Trump's state visit to the UK will see him have a private lunch with the Queen, tea at Clarence House with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and attend a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.