So, how will Joe Biden’s victory affect US-UK relations? As I write in the Times, the downsides for this government are obvious. Biden fiercely opposed Brexit and those around him, like many on the American left, look to London and see a mini-Trump. They will regard other leaders from Merkel to Macron as more natural partners for them. The first phone calls are likely to go to them, not to Johnson. If the transition period ends without a trade deal and the Northern Ireland clauses of the Internal Market Bill come into force, that will further strain relations.
The bulk of Biden’s key appointments will need to be confirmed by the Senate, which will – depending on the Georgia run-offs – probably have a narrow Republican majority. This will lead to more emphasis on bipartisan foreign policy goals.
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