Liz Truss has downplayed expectations that a free trade deal with the US might be in the offing ahead of her first bilateral meeting with Joe Biden.
On the plane to the US, Truss admitted to reporters: “There aren’t currently any negotiations taking place with the US and I don’t have any expectation that those are going to start in the short to medium term.”
It is the first time the government has conceded there is virtually no chance of getting agreement on an early bilateral trade deal with the US, Britain’s biggest trading partner, despite it being coveted by Brexit supporters as one of the major potential benefits of leaving the EU.
Taking to Twitter, Andrew Adonis described the announcement as the “exact opposite of what the Brexiters told us”.
Talks of a US trade deal were regularly touted by Leave personalities and politicians.
But some people, seemingly, have a short memory when it comes to that sort of stuff.
Responding on Twitter, Brexiteer Lord Moylan said:
“I can’t remember Vote Leave promising a US trade deal. And I, as a Brexiteer, have always been very sceptical of how desirable it would be. You need to stop mischaracterising your opponents.”
Unfortunately, there is a long list of evidence that would suggest otherwise:
Related: Liz Truss’s chief of staff pulls out of PM’s America trip as FBI probe continues
