BORIS Johnson is set to hold his first call with Joe Biden as early as tomorrow – with the pair’s first meeting to take place via a video call due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The new US President is expected to phone the PM as early as tomorrow as part of an early ring round of “world allies” which will kick off with Canadian leader Justin Trudeau.
The two men have never met in person and are unlikely to do so until the summer, when Mr Biden is expected to travel to Cornwall for the G7 summit in what will be his first overseas trip.
Britain’s ambassador to the US, Dame Karen Pierce, represented the UK at the new president’s inauguration in Washington yesterday, which was attended only a small number of guests due to the lockdown in the US capital.
She said No 10 is waiting to hear from the White House whether they want to arrange an in person meeting between the two leaders before the summer but that if not “we are very practiced by now in having Zoom meetings”.
The call will come after the PM was made to squirm on TV when he was asked whether he believes Mr Biden is “woke”, after the new White House incumbent was described as such by Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy.
Looking flustered, he replied that there is “nothing wrong” with being right-on and that Mr Biden is “a firm believer in the transatlantic alliance and that’s a great thing”.
He added: “I certainly put myself in the category of people who believe that it’s important to stick up for your history, your traditions and your values, the things you believe in.”
Yesterday the PM vowed to work “hand in hand” with Mr Biden on the fight against Coronavirus and climate change – as a senior Cabinet minister declared it’s now time to “move on” from the chaotic Donald Trump era.
Mr Johnson said together Britain and America can lead the world in the effort to “build back better from the pandemic” and that the pair will to “join forces to protect our planet”.
Welcoming the new US President, he said: “In our fight against Covid and across climate change, defence, security and in promoting and defending democracy, our goals are the same and our nations will work hand in hand to achieve them.
“I look forward to welcoming him to Carbis Bay for the G7 and Glasgow for COP as we join forces to protect our planet.
“Only through international cooperation can we truly overcome the shared challenges which we face.”
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday predicted that the special relationship will prove to be “stronger than ever” and hailed the “new political era” ushered in by Mr Biden’s win.
She said the UK and US have an “exciting agenda” to pursue together on the world stage and declared that “we move on now” from the Trump presidency.
Mrs Patel said: “I think the relationship will be stronger than ever. Our relationship will go from strength to strength. We look forward to building upon the very special relationship our two countries have.”
No 10 wants to reset relations with Washington and boost trans-Atlantic cooperation on international affairs following four years of largely isolationist US policies.
