Joe Biden SNUBS Britain as President ditches plans for pre-trade deal pact
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Joe Biden has ditched plans for a pact with Britain, which was seen as the first step to pave the way for a post-Brexit trade deal.
The Whitehouse has decided against moving forward with a "foundational" agreement, which would have included agreements on more than 11 areas of trade and regulation.
This came after opposition from democrats in the Senate over concerns about lack of protections for American workers.
The foundational agreement was thought to be a "roadmap" to a full free trade agreement.
Joe Biden has ditched plans for a pact with Britain, which was seen as the first step to pave the way for a post-Brexit trade deal
PA
But a Government source told Politico that the “vibes were quite tough” from the US Government.
UK Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said there is "zero" chance of the UK securing a post-Brexit trade deal with the US while Joe Biden remains in the White House.
She said he is too close to the unions to strike a free trade agreement.
Asked at a Conservative Party Conference fringe event in October about the possibility of a UK-US trade deal, Badenoch said: "Under this administration – zero."
When asked if a Trump administration would make a trade deal more likely, she said: "An FTA is a tool.
"It is not the answer to everything. There are other things you can do.
"You don’t always have to wait for the FTA with the president or his administration."
The US President has previously warned that a US trade deal is "contingent" upon respect for the Good Friday Agreement and peace in Northern Ireland.
And last month appeared to express further concern about the UK leaving the ECHR in order to get a deal with Rwanda off the ground.
Commenting on the developments, a senior Whitehouse official told the New York Times they are "Definitely all keeping an eye on Northern Ireland".
Speaking to GB News, senior Conservative MP David Jones accused Biden of "anti-British sentiments", claiming that his "personal prejudices" could sour the Anglo-British relationship.
While Conservative Party Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson mocked Biden for the intervention, advising him to focus on his own "illegal migration crisis".
He joked: "It's very kind of President Biden to offer his pearls of wisdom to the UK whilst we are desperate to get the Rwanda Scheme working to help solve our illegal migration crisis.
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"Perhaps his time would be better spent sorting out America's illegal migration crisis that is in the millions and once he has the solution he can let us know.
"Meanwhile we will crack on with our own ideas."
Jones, who is the Deputy Chairman of the European Research Group, added: "The President has a record of making anti-British statements. This is deeply regrettable."