London Calling is a weekly rundown of the top ten emerging issues from the past seven days shaping US-UK commercial relations.

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Memo: London Calling | Edition 7 | February 24, 2021

1. How Joe Biden can help Britain modernize its role in the world: Robert Zoellick writes given shifts in global power and the reopening of vast Eurasian land and sea networks, the US should prize its democratic allies — especially those along the maritime perimeter. America must help an independent, friendly Britain to succeed.

A North America-UK free trade agreement would help Britain offer a timely signal to investors.

2. Boris Johnson has to lift lockdown, save the Union, and fix the economy but infighting in Downing Street risks throwing him off course: Tim Shipman writes some MPs wonder whether the way to get the country fighting fit is a No. 10 engaged in internal fighting. Making Lord Frost a minister and Oliver Lewis's departure, in charge of saving the Union, shows a less than pleasant senior staff.

Downing Street is in disarray and full of factions.

3. Boris Johnson said it was "a one-way road to freedom" and revealed his long-awaited route out of lockdown, with outdoor meetings between two households and organized sport possible from the end of March.

Each date for reopening is aspirational, separated by a five-week interval for scientists to assess the impact, but it is a positive step forward, and UK citizens are looking forward to June 21.

4. UK universities plead to keep EU cash post-Brexit: Politico reports British universities are lobbying hard to stay fully involved in a flagship EU scheme to bring higher education institutions closer together. As Brussels wrestles with the future of education cooperation on the Continent, UK institutions fear they could lose both funding and the vital academic links they gain from the European Universities Initiative.

5. A new constitutional deal would avert the UK's break-up: Camilla Cavendish writes with the Scottish National party pressing for a second referendum on independence if they win Scotland's May elections, Johnson must decide whether he dares to rewrite the constitutional settlement. This cannot be fudged: The prospects for "global Britain" are unraveling, just when the UK is vulnerable in the world.

Polls suggest that the SNP is on course for a landslide victory in May that the party hopes will be a platform to push for a swift second independence referendum.

6. Dispute between Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond risks undermining SNP's election chances: Nicola Sturgeon has challenged Alex Salmond to prove claims that her husband and other members of her entourage plotted to destroy his reputation and send him to prison, which he made in an explosive submission to the Holyrood inquiry.

The Salmond-Sturgeon rift centers on a botched Scottish government investigation in 2018 into harassment complaints against the former first minister.

7. Majority of Welsh want Westminster to give Senedd more powers, new polling finds: Nearly 60% of Welsh people believe Westminster should cede more powers to the Senedd. In a survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of YesCymru, the campaign for Welsh independence, 59% of respondents who had a view said they would support a "devo-max" option in a referendum.

8. Boris Johnson is thinking about building a tunnel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Whitehall officials have revealed that one version of the plan worked up in Downing Street went even further, envisaging not one but three tunnels under the Irish Sea connecting in an "underground roundabout" beneath the Isle of Man.

9. Keir Starmer has every chance of becoming PM. There's just one obstacle — the Labour Party: Robert Colvile writes for Starmer to enter No. 10, he needs to win over people who liked Nick Clegg, keep those who loved Jeremy Corbyn and steal a few from Nicola Sturgeon and Boris Johnson too.

Also, Ed Miliband has in Keir Starmer's sights should he slip.

10. Westminster polling intention:

Conservatives 40% (-1)

Labour 37% (+1)

Lib Dem 7% (+1)

Green 6% (-1)

Reform UK 3%

Via YouGov