Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch has stated that Joe Biden is to blame for derailing a free trade agreement between the US and the UK.
During an appearance before the Business and Trade committee, the well-liked right-wing Tory stated that the primary reason the much-desired agreement has not been reached is because Donald Trump lost office.
Ms Badenoch told MPs: “The biggest thing that had an impact on us reaching that objective was the changing administration from President Trump to President Biden”.
She revealed the UK “were carrying out negotiations for a US FTA [Free Trade Agreement] but when the administration changed, the Biden administration just is not doing FTAs”.
“They have said they are not doing FTAs with anybody so it isn’t about us despite a lot of the narrative you might read about in the press.
“Their strategy is not using free trade agreements but it is more the smaller packages on single issues.”
Undeterred, the UK has signed trade deals with seven US states since leaving the EU.
Ms Badenoch flew to Florida to sign an accord with Governor Ron DeSantis in November last year, a pact that will provide a major boost to the UK’s high-potential sects including space and financial tech.
It was the seventh Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and a US state, following Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah and Washington.
Collectively they have an economy worth nearly $4 trillion.
However, the government is not going to stop there. Ms. Badenoch made a hint about the potential next big US state in November as well.
Speaking in the House of Commons, she stated that California, a state with a GDP bigger than both India and the United Kingdom, is set to negotiate a significant deal with the United Kingdom.
California’s economy, after the US, China, Japan, and Germany, would rank fifth in the world if it were an independent nation. This may provide a significant economic boost for British exporters.
Responding to a question about her recent deal in Florida, and what it means for progress on a US-wide trade deal, the trade secretary said it is disappointing that the US is refusing to sign new trade deals with any third country.
“The latest figures actually show that UK-US trade has reached £310 billion.”
Ms Badenoch added that the Californian governor, Gavin Newson wants the UK free trade deal even faster than Florida achieved one.
According to Whitehall sources, ministers are already pinning hopes on a full UK-US trade deal should Donald Trump return to the White House this year.