Liz Truss praised for dropping US trade negotiations by readers

Liz Truss takes ‘strong-armed’ approach to US trade deal

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Prime Minister Liz Truss is right to shelve plans for a UK-US trade deal, according to a new poll of Express.co.uk readers. Ms Truss revealed earlier this week that a UK-US trade deal is off the table in the near future. On Tuesday, while travelling to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on her first international trip since taking office, Ms Truss said: “There aren’t currently any negotiations taking place with the US and I don’t have an expectation that those are going to start in the short to medium term.”

She added that her focus on international trade deals had moved eastwards, and said that India was a desirable partner.

Ms Truss would like to strike a deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – a group made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

She would also like for the UK to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership which is one of the world’s biggest trading blocs involving 11 countries including Australia, Canada and Japan.

In a poll that ran from midday on Wednesday, September 21, to 2pm on Saturday, September 24, Express.co.uk asked readers: “Do you think a trade deal with US is a priority?”

Overall, 1,606 people cast their votes, with the overwhelming majority, 94 percent (1,508 people), answering “no”, a trade deal with the US is not a priority.

Whereas, five percent (87 people) said “yes” it is a priority, and just one percent (11 people) said they did not know.

Readers shared their thoughts on a UK-US trade deal with dozens of comments left below the accompanying article.

Many readers agreed that while a trade deal with the US was important, it should not be a priority.

One reader, username xJonjo, wrote: “It is no more of a priority now than it was when we voted to leave the EU.”

Username Mue said: “The trade deal with the USA is not that important. Most important is that we stand up to the USA as they cannot dictate what happens in our country.”

Another, username ManfromPem said: “We’ve waited six years already – another 24 months or so won’t make that much of a difference. Focus on other trade deals for now.”

And username MikePiper said: “It would be nice, but not at the expense of our freedoms.”

Meanwhile, some readers commented that trading with the US should continue as usual.

Username patrickcleary said: “Carry on trading as we do now.”

Likewise, username billbloggsdad2 said: “We’ve been getting along fine without one so far!”

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Ms Truss and US President Joe Biden had their first meeting at the UN summit earlier this week, which was dominated by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

They also discussed post-Brexit trade arrangements and Ukraine and agreed that preserving peace in Northern Ireland was a “priority”.

Ms Truss’s spokesperson said the tone of the meeting was “warm” and a UK-US trade deal was not discussed.

Former US President Barack Obama said in 2016 that Britain would be “back of the queue” for a free-trade deal if the country chose to leave the European Union.

However, Donald Trump was supportive of expanding the US’s trading relationship with the UK.

Ms Truss’s predecessor Boris Johnson championed a trade deal with the US as a Brexit bonus.

But he was forced to admit last year that the US has “a lot of fish to fry” and a deal may not be able to be secured by the 2024 general election.

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