BORIS BID TO LEVEL UP THE WORLD
PM to lead virus fightback with Biden... as French accuse Britain of ‘duplicity, contempt and lies’ over military pact
BORIS Johnson will this week launch a new charm offensive on America – as he unveils his mission to level up the world.
The Prime Minister will fly out to New York today to make a speech at the United Nations amid a growing row with France, which last night accused Britain and her allies of “duplicity, contempt and lies” over a new military pact. He will then
head to Washington to hold talks with President Joe Biden in the White House. It comes as sources claimed that his new Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has been told her job is to repair relations between the UK and the US.
Ms Truss is said to have “proved her credentials as an effective ambassador for Britain” in her globe-trotting successes while agreeing dozens of free trade deals.
Her predecessor Dominic Raab was described as “too dry” and “not personable enough” to improve an awkward relationship with the US since Biden’s election.
The meeting in the States is set to further infuriate French President Emmanuel Macron.
Last week he withdrew his ambassadors from the US and Australia, in protest at the countries joining the UK in signing a new Pacific nuclear submarine defence pact.
And last night Jean-yves Le Drian, the Foreign Minister in Paris, said his country had been the victim of “duplicity, contempt and lies”. But when asked on the France 2 radio station why his Ambassador to London had not been recalled too, Mr Le Drian suggested there was no need. France was familiar with Britain’s “permanent opportunism” and Mr Johnson was the “fifth wheel on the carriage anyway”, said Mr Le Drian.
Ahead of the US visit, the Prime Minister laid out his key goals on climate change and security.
He said: “World leaders have a small window of time left to deliver on their climate commitments ahead of COP26.
“My message to those I meet this week will be clear – future generations will judge us based on what we achieve in the coming months.
“This week, as leaders arrive in New York for the biggest diplomatic event of the year, I will be pushing them to take concrete action on coal, climate, cars and trees so we can make COP26 a success and keep our goals within reach.”
Emphasising his desire to bring his levelling-up agenda to the poorest countries, the Prime Minister added: “We need to continue to make a case for a sustainable recovery from coronavirus rooted in green growth. And we have a responsibility to ensure the benefits of that growth extend to all, no matter where they are born.”
Ms Truss will arrive with the PM in the US today and kick off her first official overseas visit in her new role. The Foreign Secretary said she is “delighted” to be visiting a country that is “the UK’S closest and most important partner”.
She added: “At the UN General Assembly, I look forward to convening global leaders to tackle the major issues of the day and projecting a positive, outwardlooking Global Britain that delivers for people across the UK.”
Sources say Ms Truss’s ability to seal deals over trade means she is now highly qualified to “charm the Biden administration”.
Summing up her promotion, one said: “Liz [Truss] got the Americans
‘Banging the drum for Global Britain’
to import our beef again and sorted out the whisky problem.”
A source close to the Foreign Secretary said: “She will be banging the drum even harder for Global Britain.” Ms Truss will convene the Permanent Five members of the UN Security Council – the UK, US, France, China and Russia – to encourage international cooperation over issues such as Afghanistan and vaccines.
Sources close to the Prime Minister have admitted that relations between Downing Street and the White House have been strained, with Mr Biden only appointing an ambassador to the UK this week, more than six months after taking office.
This relationship reached a low point during the Afghan crisis, which led Mr Biden to be criticised for allowing the Taliban to sweep into Kabul almost unopposed.
The chaotic withdrawal from the country by western powers was made worse by a lack of communication from the White House, with the US President refusing to take a call from Mr Johnson at one point.
Meetings in Washington will be the first chance for the two leaders to discuss face to face the latest situation in Afghanistan following the Nato withdrawal.
Work by the UK and US to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the region will be bolstered by the UN Security Council Resolution which calls for urgent humanitarian access to Afghanistan.
The UK has committed £286million in aid to Afghanistan this year.
The two will also discuss last week’s announcement of the UK, US and Australia forming a new pact to promote security in the Indo-pacific region. The alliance is seen as “a concrete articulation” of the UK and US’S shared goals.
While it is hoped that the trip can help move trade talks on by building up relations between the two administrations, Mr Johnson will use his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly as a prequel to the COP26 summit in November. Already 100 world leaders have accepted the invitation to come to Glasgow.
The Washington trip will be the Prime Minister’s first visit to the White House since Biden took office. It will also allow him to meet Vice President Kamala Harris and senior members of the US House of Representatives and Senate.
White House discussions will be an important opportunity to build on the climate commitments made by both leaders at the G7 Summit in Cornwall back in June.
They agreed to take action on climate change, such as mobilising $100billion in climate finance and phasing out the global use of coal.
Meanwhile, members of US congress have written to Mr Johnson, urging him to scrap his proposals to ban future prosecutions related to the Northern Ireland Troubles.
They have also called for the Government to reaffirm its commitment to the Stormont House Agreement.
‘PM’S first visit since Biden win’