President-elect Donald Trump will want to get a good deal with the UK, Treasury Chief Secretary Darren Jones has insisted.
Jones, the chancellor’s deputy, said he was confident that trade relations between the UK and the US could be deepened and that Peter Mandelson would be “brilliant” as Britain’s new ambassador. United in the United States.
However, Britain’s Reform leader Nigel Farage claimed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was in a “weak” negotiating position due to his desire to strengthen ties with the EU as well as with states. -United.
The prime minister insisted he could walk a tightrope and balance strong trade and security relations on both sides, despite Trump’s dislike of the EU.
But some nervousness appears apparent, with Lord Mandelson launching a charm offensive before Trump’s inauguration on Monday, praising his “instinct for straight talking and negotiation” and speaking of a new “Atlantic alliance”.
Jones said the government was optimistic about the chances of establishing good relations with the new administration, highlighting “opportunities up for grabs” around a possible post-Brexit trade deal, which he said could include technology.
“Donald Trump is known for wanting to make good deals. I think there are a lot of good deals we can make together,” he said.
“There are certainly opportunities to deepen our trade relationships, particularly in the areas of technology, science and research… and I think that could be a positive outcome.”
Speaking to the BBC on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the Treasury minister suggested the UK could avoid Trump’s pledge to impose a 20% tax on all imports into the US because it does not was not in a “trade deficit”, adding that ministers had “prepared for all scenarios”. .
Jones also said he was confident that Lord Mandelson “will form a very strong partnership with the new administration”, despite some reports that the new president may reject him – and a top Trump adviser calling him an “absolute moron”.
“because we want to do things differently.”
Asked about comments by Labor London Mayor Sadiq Khan who warned of a “resurgence of fascism” ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Jones strongly disagreed, insisting the British government was respecting the mandate Democratic Party, adding: “I speak for the government and we don’t.” OK with that.”
A far less rosy view of the “special relationship” has been painted by Farage, a longtime Trump supporter, whose offer to act as an intermediary in negotiations with the president-elect has so far been rejected by the government.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour, Britain’s Reform leader said the government needed to “think outside the box” when dealing with the Trump administration, and that all the evidence – including the appointment of Lord Mandelson – suggest that he does not.
“I think what this government is doing is what all governments do: they are sticking to the established, status quo ways of appointing people,” he said.
Farage said he feared the UK was wasting “an incredible opportunity” to move away from tariffs and negotiate free trade deals because of the Prime Minister’s refusal to choose the US instead than the EU.
“This guy (Trump) does business differently than anyone we’ve seen before in world politics,” he said. “They don’t think they need me, but they might soon find out that maybe they do.
“If our relationship with America deteriorates and hurts us financially, it will be the Labor government’s fault,” adding that Trump is “probably more Eurosceptic” than him.
The fact that the UK still has no free trade deal with the US, despite being a priority in the 2019 Conservative agenda, has been criticized by the current party leader Kemi Badenoch, who said leaving the EU without a growth plan was “a mistake”.
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel, a prominent voice in the Vote Leave Brexit campaign, was asked by Kuenssberg about Badenoch’s comments after calling for rapid action to reach a trade deal between the Kingdom -United and the United States.
Patel said there were plans to legislate to start the Brexit process, but acknowledged the lack of plans on how to rebuild relations.
She said: “In terms of long-term sustainable proposals, Kemi has the right to recognize that clearly broader plans need to be put in place.”
Responding to Patel, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller claimed the Conservatives were now competing with the Reformed UK to be “most submissive to Trump” – but that the UK Uni should not have “blind trust” in the new administration.
He said: “(Priti Patel’s) desire to rush into a UK-US free trade deal – one that could sell out UK farmers and downstream food standards – reminds us where her and her party’s real alliances lie: with Mar -a-Lago, not with voters here in Britain. »
