The U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has pledged to put the UK "at the front of the line" in future trade talks during a visit to London on Thursday. Pompeo said: "We intend to put the UK at the front of the line. This is a historic relationship."

Pompeo told a Policy Exchange event that he wanted to be in the UK on the date that the UK leaves the EU as a mark of solidarity over Brexit, but counterpart Dominic Raab said Friday would be "hectic." 

"The special relationship means that… we are deeply aware of the shared values of our people," Pompeo said, noting that beyond borders all other "boundaries" between the UK and U.S. would be lowered.

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Pompeo added that there was a "tremendous value" to the U.S. from the relationship with the UK, saying there was a "huge opportunity for us to do really great creative business."

He said a "gold standard" could be set through the future trade deal.

Asked about the future of the Five Eyes relationship, Pompeo said: "That relationship is deep, it is strong, it will remain."

Pompeo was also due to hold talks with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on post-Brexit trade on Thursday, the eve of Britain's historic departure from the European Union.

Britain will enter a new chapter when it becomes the first country to quit the EU's institutions at midnight Brussels time (2300 GMT) on Friday. 

Although it will remain under most EU rules during an 11-month transition period, Britain is then likely to lose privileged access to the single European market – the world's largest and most important for UK trade.

Pompeo, in London on the first leg of a five-nation tour that also takes in Ukraine, arrived on Wednesday. "The #UK is an indispensable ally on a range of issues," he tweeted, adding the special relationship was being strengthened "through constructive discussions."