Boris Johnson warned US deal with Joe Biden ‘not priority’ – ‘Don’t hold your breath!’
Brexit: Trade deal with US will ‘take time’ says Anand Menon
Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs, Anand Menon, has said it will “take time” for Boris Johnson to get a free trade agreement with the United States as he warned the Prime Minister not to hold his breath. Mr Johnson has said in the past that he plans on building a strong relationship with the US. Mr Menon noted that the Biden presidency would help him get a deal through Parliament.
Mr Menon told Express.co.uk: “I think trade will be a priority but I don’t think under the Trump presidency a deal with the UK would be a priority.
“I think it will take time but then again, I suspect President Biden’s free trade deal would be less incendiary here than a President Trump one.
“Biden would put more emphasis on workers’ rights and environmental standards and that might make it easier to pass it here than under President Trump.
“It could make it easier when we get around to doing it but don’t hold your breath about when it’s going to get done.”
We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
It comes as International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has swerved demands to publish the economic impact assessment of Boris Johnson’s trade deal with the EU.
Labour questioned why “every single one” of more than 30 new trade agreements put before MPs in the last two years has been accompanied by such an assessment while they were still waiting for similar information for the post-Brexit agreement.
But Ms Truss insisted her department was not responsible for negotiating the deal with the EU, adding “full data” has been released.
Speaking in the Commons, shadow international trade secretary Emily Thornberry said: “Over the last two years the Government has placed, as the Secretary of State tells us frequently, more than 30 new trade agreements before the House.
Brexit: Expert reveals ‘concern that deal is fragile’
“Every single one of them, of course, has been accompanied by an economic impact assessment.
“And the Secretary of State’s October agreement with Japan set a new standard for these documents with over 100 pages analysing the impact of the deal on UK exports, jobs, business and growth.
“So can I simply ask when is the Government going to publish the economic impact assessment for the UK’s trade agreement with the European Union?”
Ms Truss replied: “The honourable lady will be well aware that the Department for International Trade is not responsible for negotiating the agreement with the EU, that’s a matter for Taskforce Europe and they have provided full data to this House and the House voted for the deal, including I’m delighted to see, the honourable lady.”
DON’T MISS
Brexit travel: FCDO warns Britons about banned food rules [INSIGHT]
Brexit alarm bells ring as leading German MEP hails trade sanctions [ANALYSIS]
Falklands fury: Joe Biden had ‘no question’ on Argentina stance [OPINION]
Ms Thornberry added: “I wasn’t asking if she was responsible, I was just thinking since she was in the Cabinet that she might know when this impact assessment was going to be published.”
Ms Thornberry also raised further concerns about a lack of scrutiny during earlier questions in the sessions.
She said: “It’s been 14 days now since the provisional trade agreement between the UK and Cameroon entered into force and yet Parliament has still not even seen that agreement, let alone had the chance to examine it, debate it, or approve it.
“While I fully understand the reasons why that’s happened, does (MsTruss) understand why members on all sides of the House believe that this episode is just the latest illustration for why the need for scrutiny procedures need to be improved, which is the reason why many of them will be voting for changes to that next Tuesday.”
Source: Read Full Article