Can Sunak soften Biden up on a post-Brexit trade deal?

UK officials will have to settle for ‘mini-deal’ negotiations with Utah, Texas and other states at talks in Washington this week. Adam Forrest looks at whether the PM can win the president over to the merits of free trade

Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak are due to meet in Washington DC (PA)

Rishi Sunak loves America. In fact, the former Californian resident’s love runs so deep it landed him in trouble – forced to explain last year why he had held a US green card while UK chancellor.

Mr Sunak is now hoping his close ties stateside can start to pay off. The Americans are rolling out the red carpet for the prime minister’s visit to Washington DC this week. He will stay at Blair House, also known as the President’s Guest House – the first British PM to be invited to stay there since David Cameron.

Mr Sunak has evidently charmed Joe Biden during recent meetings, managing to dispel some of the transatlantic tensions seen when Boris Johnson and Liz Truss occupied No 10.