As International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and the US trade representative Robert Lighthizer kick off talks remotely, they’re hoping that a long distance courtship won’t be an obstacle to deeper ties – a deal which boosts output and jobs by cutting the charges and restrictions on trade.
The “special relationship” is already a lucrative one. More than £220bn worth of goods and services are traded between the two nations, their companies responsible for millions of jobs on the other’s home turf.
The UK is hoping to capitalize on its new-found ability to strike free-trade deals with more opportunities for exporters of cars, ceramics and whisky, for example.
However, this won’t be an easy ride into the sunset.
Both sides are desperate for speed, to show at least some easy wins, perhaps in areas such as manufactured goods or financial services.
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