US President Joe Biden has signalled a slow-down towards a free trade agreement with UK as he met Boris Johnson for White House talks. Mr Biden has cautioned Mr Johnson over putting at risk stability in Northern Ireland through the implementation of Brexit. Mr Johnson has admitted that the trade deal is lower down on the list of priorities held by the Biden administration. “Joe has a lot of fish to fry”, said Mr Johnson to reporters ahead of the Oval Office meeting. According to the Guardian, Mr Biden said he feels “very strongly” that he does not want a change to the “Irish accords” resulting in “a closed border”.
The UK Government is to look at other options to improve trade links with the US, through the exploration of joining as the fourth member of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The new Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, is travelling to Mexico after the United Nations General Assembly in New York to focus on entry to the CPTPP. She will be discussing plans for an updated deal with Mexico and the UK.
“A trade deal with Mexico, for example, will pave the way for us to join the CPTPP, one of the world’s biggest free trade areas”, said Ms Truss.
