US, Britain back rapid trade deal post-Brexit

Washington (AFP), 8 August, 2019 -  The top US and British diplomats said Wednesday they were prepared to move “as soon as possible” on a trade deal after Britain’s planned withdrawal from the European Union on October 31.  

Speaking in Washington, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged the EU to negotiate a new pact on Britain’s departure to avoid a potentially calamitous “no-deal” Brexit.  

Raab said after meeting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the two sides agreed on the need for quick negotiations on a two-way deal after Brexit strands Britain outside the US-EU trade pact.  

“America is our single largest bilateral trading partner. President Trump has made clear again that he wants an ambitious free trade agreement with UK, so I hope that we can make that happen as soon as possible after we leave the EU on the 31st of October,” Raab told reporters.