Thread by @pmdfoster

NEW: Boris Johnson expected by Washington to open trade talks with US before negotiating with the EU - me with ⁦@AVMikhailova⁩ 1/thread telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/…

Expectation is for Cabinet to agree objectives; publish mandates within 2 weeks to give time for USTR to reply.

Per source familiar with US planning. First round of talks even by late Feb/2

US “impatient” to crack on.

All U.K. chapter heading chiefs are appointed now, and “matches” with US counterparts.

US wants 4-weekly cycles;U.K. 6-weekly /3

.@BorisJohnson due in Washington second half of Feb and could use this to formally kick off process.

As @SamuelMarcLowe tells me this is essentially a political statement - suits both leaders, doesn’t mean comprehensive US-UK any time soon. /4

Part of issue is that US/U.K. discussion creates divisive and binary choices on stuff like Chlorine washed chicken; NHS drug prices...so initially many of these cd be ducked. /5

So rather than focus on drug procurement; start with something politically easier - like recognising each other’s drug testing regimes, for example. /6

Obviously having a political event in Feb before EU talks even start (March at earliest) would be a big political statement by U.K. side. As U.K. sources tells @AVMikhailova it is “we mean business” /7

The Brexit and Trade Cabinet Committee is expected to meet on Thursday to discuss negotiating objectives for US and EU deals.

Then it will be for Cabinet to pull trigger - am told ducks all in row for expedited process by Whitehall source. /8

Not clear to me that EU will really be that spooked by this.

They are planning to confront U.K. with some brutal choices come autumn.

Only then will we know which way - for all brave talk from @sajidjavid - U.K. will really jump.

Until then, it’s still posturing. 9/ENDS