Peter Mandelson, UK business secretary, on Thursday called on world leaders to make strong progress on the Doha round of global trade negotiations before January 20 since he fears that Barack Obama’s arrival in the White House could impede a deal.

Lord Mandelson, formerly the European Union’s trade commissioner, suggested that Mr Obama would not maintain the same commitment to free trade and open markets that President George W. Bush and the Republican party displayed over the past eight years.