Truss and the elusive UK-US trade deal

A chara, – Newton Emerson, in his usual Panglossian terms (“Truss brings down curtain on UK-US trade deal pantomime”, September 22nd), is prepared to give credit to the latest British PM for a “decisive move that has left opponents struggling to respond”.

In reality, Ms Truss is simply stating what has been quite obvious to everyone for a long time. I do not recall any recent article about the possibility of a UK-US trade deal in either The Irish Times or the Guardian. This is because there was never any likelihood of one being brokered, as long as the NI protocol deadlock persists.

As your columnist points out, Ms Truss rode to power on a “Global Britain” manifesto: easier trade with the Commonwealth was talked up, then abandoned; a deal with the US was promised, now abandoned. What’s next? Oh, joining a transpacific trade grouping, with the US perhaps joining, too. This is the very definition of Brexit jam tomorrow thinking: frictionless trade with anyone but the EU, the huge market on the UK’s doorstep.

If Newton Emerson thinks that Ms Truss will seriously damage the UK-US relationship to protect her stance on the NI protocol, he has not been following her shameless and vacuous posturing. – Is mise,