The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Biden’s first chat with PM ‘refreshing’
Boris Johnson has welcomed a “refreshing” conversation with Joe Biden as the prime minister labelled Donald Trump the“previous president” while the Republican continues to contest the election.
President-elect Mr Biden issued Mr Johnson with a warning that Brexit must not jeopardise the Northern Ireland peace process during their first call since the November 3 vote.
But the PM focused on their shared values of standing up for Nato and tackling the climate crisis, two areas Mr Trump rode roughshod over.
Mr Johnson told PMQs he continues to have a strong relationship with Mr Trump, who has refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power while making baseless allegations of voter fraud.
Mr Johnson said he had an “excellent conversation” with Mr Biden on Tuesday afternoon when they strongly agreed on the need to “once again... stick up for
Nato and to work together in the fight against climate change”.
“It was refreshing, I may say, to have that conversation and I look forward to many more,” Mr Johnson told MPs.
Labour’s Angela Eagle pressed for his advice to his “erstwhile best friend” Mr Trump as he continues to refuse to accept the result of the election, which she said is “both embarrassing for him and dangerous for American democracy”.
Mr Johnson replied: “I had and have a good relationship with the previous president, I do not resile from that – it is in the duty of all British prime ministers to have a good relationship with the White House.”
The PM was among the first world leaders to secure a call with Mr Biden since his victory over Mr Trump.
Mr Biden’s transition team said he expressed his desire to “strengthen the special relationship” and “reaffirmed his support for the Good Friday Agreement”, in a warning over Brexit. He has in the past warned that a trade deal with the US is “contingent” on there being no return to a hard border on the island of Ireland amid unease over the prime minister’s Brexit legislation.
The Democrat also said the peace process must not “become a casualty of Brexit” in a warning over the controversial UK Internal Market Bill.
Downing Street’s official summary of the phone call, which was understood to have lasted for about 25 minutes, did not make a specific mention of Brexit.
But a No 10 source said: “They talked about the importance of implementing Brexit in such a way that upholds the Good Friday Agreement, and the PM assured the president-elect that would be the case.”
A swift call with the incoming president is highly coveted but it will be particularly welcomed by Mr Johnson amid concerns the pair could face diplomatic difficulties.