Thread by @faisalislam

Trade minister tours US states, amid little to no progress on US-UK trade deal, & UK-US steel tariffs dispute unsettled even after US-EU deal, implores US to “awaken” a “paradigm shift” in US response to UK leaving orbit of EU “to be closer to you [US]”..

gov.uk/government/spe…

UK Govt to US:

“[Brexit is] major geo-political event and it calls for an US response that recognises this moment and the opportunity..
We have made ourselves a player on the global chessboard..
Let future generations of Americans not say.. you failed to grasp that opportunity”

Speech underlines a rather important strategic paradox - that part of the rationale behind pursuing a clean/ hard break Brexit from the EU was to pursue closer relationship with US… but at best not a priority for US, at worst, contributing to currently worse outcome on steel…

And if analysis here is this is a Democrat/ Biden issue - this was Trump’s trade chief talking to me just before leaving office… delay to a deal reflected his fundamental doubt UK would fully leave the EU orbit even as it was stated policy of PM:

https://twitter.com/faisalislam/status/1339485972933849089?s=21

Last week my colleague @bbcchrismorris reported Trade Sec, upon return from meeting US commerce sec re steel: “We had a very frank conversation, I was very clear the pressures we are under to use countervailing measures if we can’t solve the problem are becoming more acute.”

“For the US to wait to seize this opportunity would be to all our detriment, but also to its own. It is in its own interest to step up its trade policy and negotiations… “ which seems pretty critical of current White House trade policy, esp as regards UK

But this bit is most intriguing - re the “power of trade” and “two competing versions of capitalism” — not at all clear that this is a narrative or an argument that appeals to current US administration. It’s all about “worker-centric” trade and backing unions vs Kellogg’s etc…