BORIS Johnson will face an early snub from Joe Biden with the US president-elect unlikely to phone him anytime soon.

Biden has made it plain he is no fan of the Prime Minister or his Brexit project and described him last year as a "physical and emotional clone" of Donald Trump.

British diplomats believe Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and Irish PM Micheal Martin are among the leaders likely to hear from Biden first as he rebuilds relations with the EU following years of hostility from Trump.

"Look, we're probably not top of the list for the first phone call. Are some people in government fretting about that? Yes, but you can read too much into it. If we find ourselves being called after Papua New Guinea then we should probably start to worry," a diplomatic source told a London-based newspaper.

Biden, who described himself as Irish, has underlined that the UK will not get a trade deal with the US if it breaks international law and overrides the agreement it struck with the EU, including the Northern Ireland backstop.

READ MORE: Here’s why Joe Biden’s win is a good result for Scotland

The provision was included in the Withdrawal Agreement by the EU and UK to prevent a hard border in Ireland and preserve the Good Friday Agreement and peace process.

It has been reported that Biden's first overseas visit after the pandemic may be to Ireland where he still has family connections.

Johnson has launched a charm offensive designed to win him over.

The Prime Minister said there were "many, many, many, many, many" issues where the two men have shared aims, including climate change, trade and security.

He said he believed there was still a "good chance" a trade deal would be struck with the US.

The PM is said to be considering the offer of an early state visit to Biden as soon as the pandemic makes it practical.

Congratulating him and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Johnson said: "The United States is our closest and most important ally. And that's been the case under president after president, prime minister after prime minister. It won't change.

"And I look forward to working with President Biden on a lot of crucial stuff."

Asked about Biden's belief he is a Trump "clone", Johnson said there was "far more" uniting the governments 'than divides us'.

He added: "We have common values. We have common interests. We have a common global perspective."

Some senior Democrats still bridle over Johnson's 2016 claim that Barack Obama's 'part-Kenyan' heritage had soured his attitude towards the UK.

Former Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor described Johnson as a "shape-shifting creep" at the weekend.

But Senator Chris Coons played down the row, saying Biden would not want to "re-litigate" every past remark.