Yorkshire MP hails free trade deal talks with US

A YORKSHIRE MP has said the region will have even more opportunities to do business with the United States with a new free trade agreement between the country and the UK.

Britain and the US launched negotiations on an “ambitious” post-Brexit free trade agreement last week.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and the US trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, formally opened the talks with a video conference call last Tuesday.

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.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has long argued that a free trade deal with the US is one of the great prizes to be gained from leaving the EU, providing a major boost to the economy.

And now Don Valley Conservative MP Nick Fletcher has drawn on his experience in business to highlight what he sees as opportunities for Yorkshire.

“Having run my own business for the last 25 years, I am fully aware of the risks that come with having all your eggs in one basket. It is tempting, as it seems to make doing business easier,” he said.

“However in the long term, it is unsustainable and can bring an end to everything you have worked for.

“This analogy can be used as we begin trade talks with the United States.

“When we begin these talks, we must bear in mind our own worth and spending power. In 2018 alone, we exported £121bn of goods and services to the US – twice the amount we exported to Germany.

“British consumers also value the quality of American products and I was not surprised to read that the Tesla Model 3 was the best-selling car in the UK last month.”

Mr Fletcher said the UK was in a “fantastic position”, adding: “While leaving Europe was a bold decision economically, we must remember that we are not losing a good customer.

“Instead, we are merely diversifying which countries we do trade with and therefore moving some of our eggs to different baskets.”