When British officials landed in Washington this week to put the finishing touches on a deal to reduce tariffs on British exports, they were joined by a man little known outside Westminster, but who has played a vital role in getting the deal over the line.
Varun Chandra, the business adviser to Keir Starmer, spent all of Tuesday in meetings with the US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and the trade representative Jamieson Greer as both sides finalised the agreement, which is set to be announced on Thursday.
