Nile Gardiner:
Like Thatcher and Reagan, Boris and Trump will stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of liberty
It is perhaps unsurprising that the British ambassador to Washington, Sir Kim Darroch, felt the need to resign after Donald Trump’s condemnation of comments he made in leaked diplomatic cables. But the ambassador’s critical views of the White House point to a wider problem.
Despite the success of the president’s state visit to Britain, Trump and Theresa May have long been worlds apart in terms of vision, outlook and approach. There is no chemistry between them, and May has shown little interest in building a partnership with Trump, frequently siding with the EU over the US on foreign policy matters. The special relationship has been left weakened.
This week’s diplomatic spat will not, however, alter the reality that the alliance will be in a far better place once May steps down. Here in Washington, the expectation is that Boris Johnson will be in Downing Street on July 24, and will immediately be America’s most important ally. For the US, a Johnson premiership represents a powerful opportunity to reignite the special relationship.
The US is not taking sides in the Tory leadership contest, but there is an acute understanding in the Oval Office that Johnson represents a distinctly pro-american outlook with a deep-seated affinity for the transatlantic alliance. Johnson, after all, was born in New York, and was until recently a US citizen. He has been a frequent visitor to the US and is well known in political circles here.
This bodes well for Britain. Many Americans admire Johnson’s record as mayor of London, and view him as an exciting personality, with a dash of Churchillian brilliance, who is unafraid to challenge conventional wisdom and get things done.
If Johnson does become PM, we could see the closest partnership between the leaders of the US and the UK since the days of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Of course there will be disagreements over issues such as climate change, but the synergy is likely to significantly outweigh the divisions. Johnson has already developed a strong rapport with Trump, and as foreign secretary got on well with leading members of the administration. Significantly, he is supported by key transatlanticist Brexiteers such as Iain Duncan Smith and Owen Paterson, both of whom met Trump in London and have made a concerted effort to build ties with the administration.
The top priority for the White House in terms of US-UK relations is unquestionably a free trade agreement. There has been frustration in Washington with May’s approach towards Brexit, viewed here as confused, weak-kneed and lacking in direction. This has caused a great deal of uncertainty for businesses, which are keen to invest in Brexit Britain, and has delayed movement towards a deal between the world’s largest and fifthlargest economies. The US is heavily invested in Brexit and its success.
The US is therefore looking forward to working with a new PM who is fully committed to delivering Brexit, with or without a deal, on October 31. A failure to implement Brexit by that date would be damaging not only for Britain but for the United States as well. If Britain has to leave the EU without a deal due to the intransigence of Brussels, the Americans would not be put out. In fact, a managed no-deal would be infinitely preferable for the US to the existing Withdrawal Agreement, which would tie the UK indefinitely to the customs union.
The US would like to see a trade deal in place in 2020, a highly realistic prospect if Johnson becomes PM. With May’s departure, Washington is also hoping for Britain to play a more prominent role in confronting Iran, combating China, and pushing Nato to increase defence spending. A truly sovereign Britain, freed from the shackles of the EU, will be a significantly stronger ally for the US.
The special relationship is the greatest force for freedom in history, and the new PM has the chance to greatly strengthen it by taking Britain out of the EU. The US views Brexit as a force multiplier for liberty, and eagerly awaits a PM who is prepared to implement it as soon as possible, with America standing shoulder to shoulder with its British allies.