RISHI Sunak said he and US President Joe Biden did not discuss a US-UK trade deal “in particular” in their one-on-one talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali.
The Prime Minister said he was nonetheless “filled with optimism” about Britain’s ability to do more trade with the world’s biggest economy.
At a press conference at the close of the gathering in Indonesia, Sunak was asked whether failing to discuss the post-Brexit trade deal with the US leader meant he had given up hope to agree one before the next election.
The Prime Minister said: “We didn’t discuss a trade deal in particular, but we did discuss our economic partnership.
“Both of us acknowledged the fact that, actually, the United States is our single largest trading partner and there’s a range of economic co-operation that is happening, and can continue to happen in the future.
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“We talked about energy, for example, and how we can work together to improve energy security at a time when we’re all wanting to have more of that at home.
“So I am filled with optimism about our ability to do more trade with the US, to deepen our economic relationship but that that can happen in lots of different ways.”
The UK Government had previously promised a trade deal with Washington by 2022.
Earlier, Sunak’s press secretary revealed there was no “specific talk about a trade deal” in the meeting between the two leaders, telling reporters in Bali: “Our relationship is not just about trade and they are our closest trading partner even without a trade deal.
She also declined to comment on the timing of a potential agreement.
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