The front-runner to become Britain’s next prime minister is planning to mirror one of President Trump’s signature tax cuts as he looks to secure economic growth after Brexit.
Boris Johnson has seen his lead narrow in the Conservative Party leadership contest after a noisy row with his girlfriend raised fresh questions about his fitness for office.
Johnson has promised to lead Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31 as he tries to win over hardliners on the issue.
His populist approach has frequently been likened with the American president’s style. Johnson has embraced the comparison in recent days with proposals to emulate the booming U.S. economy, despite rejecting an invitation to meet Trump during his state visit last month.
“Look at what Trump is doing,” he told Conservative Party members during a conference call. “They’ve got growth running at 3.6%.
“He has been very clever in allowing businesses to offset capital investment in tax, with capital allowances. I think we should think about that sort of thing for start-ups, in addition to cutting corporation tax, which would also be effective.”
Johnson and his rival Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, are touring the country as they seek the support of Conservative Party members.
Johnson, a former mayor of London and foreign secretary, has a commanding lead despite the controversy that erupted last month when his neighbors reportedly recorded a row with his girlfriend Carrie Symonds.
The results of the membership ballot will be announced on July 22.
Theresa May is expected to meet Queen Elizabeth II two days later to offer her resignation as prime minister and recommend a successor.
The winner will face a baptism of fire as they attempt to steer the country towards Brexit, a divisive issue that ultimately proved May’s undoing.
She secured a deal with European leaders to allow Britain to exit the EU while retaining access to its single market. However, she was unable to get her proposal ratified by Parliament.
Both Johnson and Hunt say they are prepared to leave without a deal, raising fears of an economic downturn.
The credit rating agency Moody’s this week said a no-deal Brexit would increase the risk of a recession.
“Such an outcome would be very disruptive to current U.K.-EU trading arrangements and have a material, negative impact on the UK economy and on the economies of certain EU member states,” it said.
