Joe Biden starting UK visit with hope he can help to break deadlock

Mr Biden was greeted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as Air Force One touched down at Belfast Airport last night at the start of his four-day tour of Ireland. Mr Biden will be travelling around both sides of the Irish border during his visit to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday agreement.

Mr Biden said he was 'more than comfortable' to be in Northern Ireland despite violence on the streets of the province on Monday. An unscheduled parade by the Irish Republican Socialist Party in Londonderry saw a police Land Rover, which had been monitoring the march, come under attack from petrol bombs. Gangs carrying explosives were also seen outside the gates of a cemetery where speeches were being given.

Mr Biden's spokesman John Kirby told journalists that the violence had not discouraged the president from visiting Belfast.

"The President is more than comfortable making this trip and he's very excited to do it," he said.

"He's again very much looking forward to going to Belfast."

Mr Kirby said Mr Biden was grateful for the work Northern Ireland's security forces have done and 'continue to do to protect all communities'.

The US president and Mr Sunak are due to attend a bilateral meeting today. Mr Biden is also expected to meet with all the political parties represented at the Stormont Assembly in an attempt to get the devolved parliament operating again.

Northern Ireland has been subject to direct rule from the UK since the elections in May last year, when Sinn Fein became the largest party in the assembly.

The Good Friday agreement requires that power is shared between representatives of both the republican and unionist communities. But the Democratic Unionist Party is unhappy that some aspects of the EU remain in place in the province as part of the Brexit deal, and have refused to join a new government until the terms are repealed.

Last month Mr Sunak negotiated a new treaty with the EU aimed at ending the stand off, but the agreement has again been rejected by the DUP.

After the meeting with political leaders, Mr Biden will deliver an address at Ulster University's new £350 million Belfast campus.

Ahead of his visit, Mr Biden said: "Twenty-five years ago, Northern Ireland's leaders chose peace.

"The Belfast Good Friday Agreement ended decades of violence and brought stability.

"I look forward to marking the anniversary in Belfast, underscoring the US commitment to preserving peace and encouraging prosperity."

A major security operation will be in place for Mr Biden's visit, with more than 300 officers from the rest of the UK being drafted into Northern Ireland.

The PSNI has also warned of significant traffic disruption in Belfast during the presidential visit, with a number of roads in the city centre already closed.

Later today, Mr Biden will cross the border to attend engagements in County Louth.

The president has traced his ancestral roots to the area and he will tour Carlingford Castle in the county before spending the night in Dublin.

He is then expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins tomorrow.

It has been announced that Dublin's Phoenix Park will be closed for 24 hours from 5pm today to facilitate the visit.

Mr Higgins' official residence is within the park's grounds.

The White House said Mr Biden would take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the president's official residence, Aras an Uachtarain.

Following that ceremony, he will meet again with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, whom Mr Biden recently hosted for St Patrick's Day.

Mr Biden will address the Irish parliament and attend a banquet dinner at Dublin Castle tomorrow evening.

The president's trip will conclude with a visit to County Mayo, where he has also connected with distant cousins, on Friday.

He will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock and visit the North Mayo Heritage and Genealogical Centre's family history research unit.

He will then make a public speech at St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina.