Monday, December 18, 2023

Biden Ditches Trade Deal Talks with Britain

THE TELEGRAPH: UK's hopes for agreement fall to 'zero' after president came under pressure from own party about effects on US manufacturing

Rishi Sunak meets Joe Biden on a visit to the White House earlier this year. There had been hopes of talks towards creating a free trade agreement | CREDIT: Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street

Joe Biden has shelved plans for a pact with Britain that could have paved the way for a full post-Brexit trade deal.

The US president has decided not to move forward with a “foundational” agreement prepared by the US Trade Representative’s Office, that would have included negotiations over 11 areas of trade and regulation, following opposition from his own party in the Senate.

Senate Democrats argued that it would not have provided sufficient protection for American workers, Politico reported.

The UK’s hopes for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the US date from before the Brexit referendum, and faced an early setback when Barack Obama told voters that Britain would be “at the back of the queue” for a deal if it left the EU.

But despite US support for an FTA in the early days of Donald Trump’s presidency in 2016, the chance of a deal has now fallen to “zero” under Mr Biden, the Government believes. » | Tony Diver, US Editor | Monday, December 18, 2023

Ha! Ha! Ha! Yet another Brexit benefit! There are so many benefits of Brexit that one loses count! – © Mark Alexander