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BBC reporter says British government 'scared witless' of President Trump
UK Cabinet minister told him they feared 'two mad men' running the world
British politicians are believed to fear Trump will try to undermine Nato

Published: 11:39 EDT, 4 November 2016 | Updated: 12:50 EDT, 4 November 2016

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The British government is 'scared witless' of Donald Trump being elected President next week, according to a BBC journalist who said they were particularly worried about how the world would be with Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in charge.

Nicholas Watt, the political editor with the BBC's flagship Newsnight programme, said the British government was terrified of the prospect of Trump winning.

He said he had spoken to one Cabinet minister - who he did not identify - and said he was told: 'We do not want Trump to win. Then we would have two mad men running the world. It is terrifying.'

Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to assembled journalists and photographers as he board a plane on the campaign trail in Florida

Watt said the 'mad men' in question were Trump and President Putin.

The journalist said many British politicians were worried about Trump's statements during the summer when he appeared to raise a question mark about the principle of 'collective defense'.

Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty an attack on one Nato member is an attack on all Nato countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right, with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev) at the unveiling of a monument in Moscow to St Vladimir, a figure who, as Volodymyr, is also the patron saint of neighboring Ukraine

Watt said British ministers feared that if Trump eroded the principle of collective defense it would give Putin the opportunity to destabilize eastern European countries who were in Nato, such as Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Romania.

Trump has repeatedly said throughout the campaign that America's allies, including wealthy countries like Germany and Japan but also smaller nations in eastern Europe, should pay more towards the cost of U.S. forces defending them from Russia, North Korea or other potential enemies.

Trump's rival, Hillary Clinton, was the Secretary of State when President Obama introduced his 'Russian reset' policy, which sought to improve relations with Moscow.

Given the choice of Donald Trump (pictured, far right, with the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Dolan) and Hillary Clinton (left) Putin is thought to favor the Republican candidate

Trump says the 'Russian reset' has been a failure and many political commentators believe Moscow has been increasingly throwing its weight around, in the Ukraine and elsewhere, because it no longer fears or respects the U.S.

It is not the first time a senior British politician has cast aspersions on Trump's political acumen.

In December last year the then prime minister David Cameron and then Mayor of London - now Foreign Secretary - Boris Johnson poured cold water on Trump's claims that Muslims in the British capital were 'so radicalized the police are afraid for their lives'.

Mr Cameron said he 'completely disagreed' with Trump and added: 'His views are wrong'.

Mr Johnson added that Trump was talking 'complete and utter nonsense'.

Although he grew up under communism and once worked as a KGB agent, Putin (pictured, right) has reshaped himself as a Russian nationalist and staunch ally of the Russian Orthodox Church. Earlier today he marked National Unity Day with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow (left)