Rishi Sunak speaks to Saudi crown prince amid reports of autumn visit

“The visit looks set to coincide with the five-year anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi’s sickening assassination and dismemberment at the hands of Saudi agents in Turkey," said Polly Truscott, Amnesty International UK.

British prime minister Rishi Sunak and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia during a bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Indonesia last year (Leon Neal/PA)

Rishi Sunak hopes to meet Mohammed bin Salman at the “earliest opportunity”, Downing Street said, amid reports of a planned visit to the UK later this year by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and Britain's prime minister.

The two leaders spoke on Thursday, as No 10 faced criticism over a potential visit by the Gulf state leader later this year.