The Democratic president-elect emerged victorious from last week’s US election, prompting speculation as to what sort of relationship he could have with the UK. Meanwhile, Britain is fast approaching the December 31 deadline by which it must have secured a trade deal with the EU or fully exit the union without one.
Current US president Donald Trump has been outspoken in support of Brexit, calling the referendum result “a great thing” when it was decided in 2016.
Mr Trump, not yet president at the time, said: “Just arrived in Scotland. Place is going wild over the vote. They took their country back, just like we will take America back.”
He added: “I think it’s a great thing that’s happened. It’s an amazing vote; very historic.”
The day after the 2016 vote, Joe Biden – then vice-president for Barack Obama – was less enthusiastic.
He said in a speech in Dublin: “I must say we had looked for a different outcome. And I imagine many of you here felt the same way.”
However, he added: “As long-standing friends of the United Kingdom, the United States respects their decision.”
READ: Joe Biden sparks ‘maximum fury’ as he clashes with Boris Johnson in first Brexit call
Regarding Mr Biden, Mr Evans-Pritchard suggested the president-elect could favour a closer relationship with the UK over the EU when he comes into power.
The analyst claimed the European Union would “take on stronger anti-American undertones” and said Mr Biden would be “exasperated” by the end of the Data Privacy Shield deal which restricts free flow of data across the Atlantic.
He added: “Biden will, like other presidents before him, find that when push comes to shove, the UK is a reliable soulmate and the EU is not.”
UK-EU post-Brexit trade deal talks are due to continue next week as both sides aim to thrash out an agreement.
A UK government source told the BBC the talks are at a “final stage”, though it is understood there are still significant disagreements on matters such as workers’ rights and state aid.
Even if a deal is agreed, MPs in the UK and EU parliament officials will have to sign it off before January 1 2021.
