The US is upbeat about a deal, why not the EU?

ONE of the more baffling myths propagated by the most vociferous Remain supporters is that those who voted to leave the EU were insular xenophobes who wanted to pull up Britain’s drawbridge, and fast.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Liberated from Brussels’ protectionist political and economic fetters, the UK will be free to pursue an optimistic, outward-looking vision.

Instead of retreating from the world stage, we can set sail on the high seas of global trade and democratic freedom.

So the prospect of a ‘very big’ trade deal with the US by next summer is exciting.

In Biarritz for the G7 summit, Donald Trump promised Boris Johnson a fasttracked pact. If this comes to fruition, Mr Johnson will reap the rewards for investing in a close relationship with the American President while our histrionic liberal establishment branded Mr Trump the devil incarnate.

Significantly, the Prime Minister used their meeting to signal that he wouldn’t be the White House’s poodle – unlike Tony Blair.

Meanwhile, the prospect of a deal with the EU was ‘improving’ yet is still ‘touch and go’, he said.

Still the sticking point is the Irish backstop. If Brussels catches an uncustomary dose of common sense, it will help solve the impasse.

If not, and we are forced into a turbulent No Deal Brexit, EU panjandrums will whistle for the £39billion divorce settlement.

Do the 27 remaining EU nations really want to jeopardise their economies as a global recession looms, simply for the sake of political vanity?

We will know very soon.