Boris Johnson ‘has been in touch’ with Joe Biden says Patel

And sources believe the Prime Minister will hit it off with the veteran US politician, paving the way for a bumper trade deal with the United States – with one source suggesting both had the “destiny of the world” sitting on their shoulders. Mr Biden’s victory in November had prompted some concern about the future of the special relationship given the former’s reservations about Brexit, and Mr Johnson’s previous courting of outgoing US President Donald Trump.

However, the unnamed friend predicted the pair would smooth things over in what would be Mr Biden’s first foreign visit outside the United States.

Mr Biden, who is sworn in on Wednesday, could visit in June for the G7 conference, which is being hosted by the UK.

Concerns have also stemmed from Mr Biden’s strong loyalties Ireland, where he has close ancestral links.

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He famously warned Mr Johnson the Good Friday Agreement must not become what he termed a “casualty of Brexit”.

However, Mr Biden’s friend told The Telegraph: “Boris is a conservative, Joe’s a moderate Democrat so I think they can get over it. I think they’ll end up getting along.

“Joe’s view will be that they’ll have the destiny of the world on their shoulders so he’ll want to overcome any political differences.”

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During Mr Trump’s time in the White House Mr Johnson and he appeared to have had a cordial relationship – but the insider nevertheless suggested: “I think there’ll be more empathy than there was between Boris and Donald Trump.

“Boris seemed to get along with Trump, but I don’t know if he really did.”

Mr Biden is unlikely to leave North America for the first few months of his presidency given he has prioritised bringing the pandemic under control.

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One Government source said: “I don’t think he will visit anywhere else before the G7, except possibly Canada.”

A Foreign Office source said: “I am pretty hopeful. I am not going to pretend it is going to be plain sailing. There will always be differences. But fundamentally we are headed in the same direction.

“Biden wants to re-engage with the world.

“Britain has kept America’s seat warm in some of these multilateral institutions.”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is also believed to be planning a trip to Washington in the next few weeks, coronavirus restrictions permitting.

Speaking after Mr Biden’s election win, Tobias Ellwood, chairman of Parliament’s defence committee, told Express.co.uk he had met the former Delaware senator on two occasions – and had been impressed on each occasion, suggesting on the second occasion he should consider another tilt at the Presidency.

He explained: It was clear no individual was emerging from the next generation of talent from the Democratic Party.

“And of course for the key task of taking on Donald Trump, you do require somebody with gravitas and stature.

“He smiled, but he reminded me that he had already run twice before.
It was clear no individual was emerging from the next generation of talent from the Democratic Party.

“And of course for the key task of taking on Donald Trump, you do require somebody with gravitas and stature.

“He smiled, but he reminded me that he had already run twice before.”

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