Boris Johnson to fly to US to begin talks with Donald Trump over a post-Brexit trade deal He is hoping to build on his warm relationship with the President who predicted he would do a “very good job” as Prime Minister

Boris Johnson is ready to fly to the United States to begin talks with Donald Trump over a post-Brexit trade deal within weeks of arriving in Downing Street.

According to allies, the Tory leadership frontrunner is aiming to strike a limited agreement ahead of Britain’s scheduled departure date from the European Union of 31 October.

They believe other countries could follow suit even if the most tentative consensus is reached with Washington.

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The two men could meet at the UN general assembly in mid-September, but Mr Johnson is understood to be keen to travel to the White House to start negotiations before then.

‘Very good job’ as PM

He is hoping to build on his warm relationship with the President who predicted he would do a “very good job” as Prime Minister. The pair had a 20-minute phone conversation during Mr Trump’s state visit last month to the UK.

But Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, doubted that it would be possible to reach any kind of transatlantic agreement ahead of Brexit.

Dr Fox, who is supporting Jeremy Hunt for the leadership, told the BBC: “We can’t negotiate anything with the US until after we have left the European Union. It would be in breach of European law for us to do that.”

If Mr Johnson becomes Prime Minister on 24 July, he is also expected to travel to Paris and Berlin within days.

It would be crucial for him to bring Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel rapidly on board in his efforts to renegotiate the terms of the UK’s departure from the EU.