Joe Biden says trade deals won't be his priority in snub to Boris Johnson's Brexit Britain
Joe Biden speaks at a car rally at the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit - Credit: AFP via Getty Images
Joe Biden has ruled out prioritising signing trade deals when he enters office in January - in a snub to Boris Johnson's Brexit Britain.
Biden looks set to take a similar 'America First' approach to the economy as his predecessor Donald Trump.
The 78-year-old Democrat politician told the New York Times: “I’m not going to enter any new trade agreement with anybody until we have made major investments here at home and in our workers and in education.”
He added: “I want to make sure we’re going to fight like hell by investing in America first.”
Downing Street had hoped that the new administration could be more receptive to signing a post-Brexit trade deal acceptable to both sides of the Atlantic when he enters office in January.
You may also want to watch:
But his comments are likely to pour cold water on the likelihood of a deal being agreed after the transition period ends.
In September, before the election, Biden issued a warning to Johnson's government.
Most Read
- 1 The biggest scandal may be that no rules were broken
- 2 Russell Kane: Why working class people like Boris Johnson
- 3 BBC journalist admits being 'haunted' by fear broadcaster 'built up' Nigel Farage and UKIP
- 4 Welsh government takes Westminster to court over post-Brexit bill
- 5 A chapter is over for Britain, for good or ill
- 6 Alan Duncan should have spoken out sooner about Boris Johnson
- 7 Ulster Unionism's crisis of faith
- 8 Prosecution threat for Tories' co-chairman
- 9 EU president faces fresh calls to resign over 'disastrous' Covid vaccine programme
- 10 The only Brexit export boom is from UK businesses rushing to Europe
He said: “We can’t allow the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland to become a casualty of Brexit.
“Any trade deal between the US and UK must be contingent upon respect for the Agreement and preventing the return of a hard border. Period.”
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
