Rishi Sunak to ask Joe Biden for economic alliance to counter threats from China and Russia 

Britain wants to form a military-style economic alliance with the US to counter threats from China and Russia, Rishi Sunak will tell Joe Biden tomorrow.

In talks with the US President, the Prime Minister will make the case for cooperation on economic security to be as extensive as that on defence.

Mr Sunak was last night flying to Washington DC for a two-day visit, to hold talks with Mr Biden at the White House and meet US politicians and business leaders.

But the PM bowed out of the chance to throw the first ball at a baseball match in the US capital.

He will watch the Washington Nationals play the Arizona D-backs for the second ‘UK-US Friendship Day’ organised with the British embassy.

Downing Street had been in talks about Mr Sunak throwing the ceremonial first pitch, an offer granted to celebrities and visiting VIPs.

Yet despite being a keen cricketer, the Prime Minister has not taken up the opportunity – but Downing Street denied it was because of nerves. 

A No 10 spokesman said: ‘As ever these sorts of things are pitched to us from time to time, but at this event the first pitch is going to be thrown by Stuart Taylor, chief executive of the Allied Forces Foundation.’

Mr Sunak will meet Mr Biden tomorrow and is expected to discuss international relations, artificial intelligence and increasing economic cooperation to protect key industries and safeguard supply chains against threats from hostile states. 

Mr Sunak said last night: ‘The UK and US have always worked in lockstep to protect our people and uphold our way of life. As the challenges and threats we face change, we need to build an alliance that also protects our economies.

‘Just as interoperability between our militaries has given us a battlefield advantage over our adversaries, greater economic interoperability will give us a crucial edge in the decades ahead.

‘By combining our vast economic resources and expertise, we will grow our economies, create jobs and keep our people safe long into the future.’ It comes after an increase in hostile states using economic coercion to their advantage, such as Russia driving up European energy prices.

No 10 said the existing strength of the UK-US economic relationship – with trade worth £279billion a year – makes the two countries ‘ideally placed’ to take on these challenges together.

Mr Sunak was last night flying to Washington DC for a two-day visit, to hold talks with Mr Biden (pictured on Tuesday) at the White House

Mr Sunak will advocate for further joint action to safeguard against external threats to our economies, strengthen our supply chains and support the industries of the future in his meetings with Mr Biden, members of Congress and business leaders.

The president will reportedly offer fresh trade concessions to help the UK car industry in the talks, which has faced pressure from US green subsidies for domestic manufacturers.

It could take the form of a new critical minerals agreement, which would allow UK companies that export electric cars to the US to benefit from some of the tax credits available to US manufacturers, The Times reported.