The UK’s international trade secretary Liz Truss has returned from a goodwill tour of the United States, as the Government seeks the completion of a trade deal with the Biden administration and to garner support from top US businesses.
During her tour, Ms Truss spoke with US tech leaders about how a UK-US free trade agreement could set a new standard for global digital trade.
She also met with investors to talk about potential trade opportunities in Britain and how a deal brokered between the UK and US could benefit them.
Speaking shortly before her return to the UK, Liz Truss said: “I am going over the West Coast to meet leading figures from the tech industry. Meeting politicians on the West Coast as well.
“But I am interested in getting the right deal that suits both of our countries rather than being in a hurry to do it.”
There has been much speculation over a significant trade deal between the US and UK since 2019, when former President, Donald Trump, said he would fast-track a deal.
However, since then, the new President Joe Biden has lost his legal power to fast-track a deal through Congress and it is now unlikely that a deal will be reached before 2023, according to some sources.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Ms Truss said: “I have never set a deadline for any trade negotiation because the important thing is to get the right deal that works for both countries.
“The US is the UK’s single largest trading partner, a million Brits work in the US, a million US citizens work in the UK…work for UK business so there are huge opportunities to build a closer relationship.”
Despite the downplaying of an immediate trade deal, hopes are still high that a free trade agreement can be reached that benefits both nations.
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