Video conferencing adds to difficulty as sensitive US-UK trade talks begin

Sensitive US-UK trade talks will take place remotely until it is safe for negotiators to meet, it was confirmed as efforts get underway to strike a deal hailed by Boris Johnson as the chief prize of Brexit.

On the first day of an initial two-week negotiating round, a senior Scottish Conservative MP said a comprehensive free trade deal with the US is the best chance of seeing punitive tariffs on Scotch whisky lifted.

Writing in The Scotsman, above, Aberdeenshire MP Andrew Bowie said negotiators “will seek to remove the iniquitous 25 per cent tariff on Scottish whisky” imposed in a tit-for-tat trade war between the US and the EU over airline subsidies.

The first round of negotiations get under way yesterday after being declared open by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer yesterday.

Around 100 negotiators on each side will take part, with further rounds will take place approximately every six weeks, negotiations being conducted remotely until it is safe to travel again. Critics have warned that striking a deal will require Britain to accept looser US food and environmental standards, as well as opening up the NHS to American firms – something the government denies.

Ms Truss said a deal would help both countries’ economies “bounce back” after the coronavirus crisis. “As we sit down at the negotiating table today be assured that we will drive a hard bargain to secure a deal that benefits individuals and businesses in every region and nation of the UK,” she said.

Mr Lighthizer added: “Under the leadership of President Trump, the United States will negotiate an ambitious and high-standard trade agreement with the UK that will strengthen our economies, support good-paying jobs and improve opportunities for trade and investment.”

Richard Sterneberg, head of global government relations at multinational law firm

DLA Piper, said the sensitivity of a deal coupled with remote talks meant there were “all the ingredients for a drawn out and strained process”.

“A favourable, and swift, deal will be politically valuable, but practically hard to bring about. Expect a high number of sticking points, with fewer economic upsides as are being claimed,” Mr Sterneberg said.