Boris Johnson could speak to Joe Biden today – but Macron & Merkel are set to be first

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BORIS Johnson could speak to Joe Biden today but Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel are set to be first up on the President-elect’s call list.

The PM will try to build bridges when he speaks to Mr Biden ahead of efforts to secure a post-Brexit trade deal between the US and the UK.

Boris Johnson could call Joe Biden today

The President-elect is expected to call European leaders first

Diplomatic sources said Mr Johnson was unlikely to be at the “top of the list” for a call from Mr Biden, according to the Daily Mail.

The President-elect has previously described Mr Johnson as a “physical and emotional clone” of Donald Trump, and fears are mounting the special relationship between the US and the UK could break down.

British diplomats expect the German Chancellor, Ms Merkel, and the French President, Mr Macron, will get priority of the PM in an effort to repair relations with the EU.

One source said: “Look, we’re probably not top of the list for the first phone call.

“Are some people in government fretting about that? Yes, but you can read too much into it.

“If we find ourselves being called after Papua New Guinea then we should probably start to worry.”

Mr Johnson held out an olive branch to Mr Biden yesterday, saying there were “many, many, many, many, many” issues the two leaders agreed on.

He said: “The United States are our closest and most important ally and that’s been the case under President after President, Prime Minister after Prime Minister, and that won’t change.”

He reeled off a list of issues, including trade and climate change, that he hoped to work on with the President-elect.

Responding to Mr Biden’s “clone” comment, Mr Johnson said: “I think there is far more that unites this Government and the Government in Washington at any stage than divides us.”

Democratic Senator Chris Coons, a Biden ally and possible candidate for US Secretary of State, downplayed any rumours of tensions between Washington and No10 yesterday.

He told the BBC: “(Boris Johnson) has struck me as someone who is more agile, engaging, educated, and forward looking than perhaps the caricature of him in the American press would have suggested.

“His experience as Mayor of London, his embrace of diversity, his interest in climate change and the ways in which he has managed to navigate the difficulties of politics all made him I found an engaging person to meet with and speak to.

“And it’s my hope that President Elect Biden will have a similar experience.”