Britain and the US will not agree to a “foundational” partnership that could have led to a free-trade deal before the next election.
Joe Biden, the US president, has shelved plans for the agreement, which had been prepared by the US Trade Representative’s Office, following opposition among his party.
The agreement, which covered 11 areas, had indicated negotiations would begin before the end of 2023 and finish before elections on both sides of the Atlantic next year but the Politico website reported that this would now not go ahead.
A free-trade agreement with the US has been much coveted in post-Brexit Britain and it was hoped that the foundational deal could be a path to a full agreement. Rishi Sunak acknowledged earlier this year that
