Katy Balls Katy Balls

What Truss’s US trade deal U-turn is really about

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Farewell to the UK/US trade deal. That’s the news from Liz Truss’s trip to the UN assembly in New York. The Prime Minister has told hacks on the flight over that the UK will not strike an agreement with America for many years. The former international trade secretary suggested that talks were unlikely to even start in the medium term: ‘There isn’t currently any negotiation taking place with the US and I don’t have an expectation that those are going to start in the short to medium term.’ The comments come ahead of her first proper meeting with Joe Biden since becoming Prime Minister.

The former International Trade Secretary suggested that talks were unlikely to even start in the medium term

Her comments have caused quite a stir back home. A trade deal with the US has long been viewed by Tory Brexiteers as something to strive for. What’s more, Truss is known to have been one of the most passionate advocates of such a deal.

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