Joe Biden won Wisconsin and Michigan in two critical victories that boosted his chances of winning the presidential election as the Trump campaign demanded a recount in one of the states and launched lawsuits designed to delay vote counts.

After Wisconsin and Michigan were called for Mr Biden, he reached 264 electoral college votes — putting him within six votes of clinching the White House — compared with 214 for Donald Trump. The former vice-president also had a small lead in Nevada, a state that would give him the 270 electoral votes needed for victory.

Speaking in Delaware on Wednesday afternoon, before Michigan was called, Mr Biden said he was confident he would “emerge victorious” after all the votes had been counted, although he stopped short of declaring himself the winner.