MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Three Brexiteers off to US/Mexico, Australia and Germany for trade talks
Liam Fox will travel from the US to meet Mexican counterparts 
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is on a two-day tour of Australia 
Brexit Secretary David Davis will hold private talks in Germany Three senior cabinet ministers will push the UK's Brexit agenda on three different continents. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox will travel from the US to meet Mexican counterparts to discuss trading relationships.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is on a two-day tour of Australia, saying post-Brexit trade is “top of the agenda”, while Brexit Secretary David Davis will hold private talks in Germany ahead of the next round of negotiations.
The globetrotting by the three ministers - dubbed the “three Brexiteers” for their role in backing a Leave vote - comes amid increased scrutiny of the opportunities and challenges facing Britain in terms of negotiating free trade agreements with other countries once it leaves the EU.
No deals can be done until withdrawal in March 2019 but the UK has established a series of inter-ministerial working groups in the US and Australia to discuss the way ahead while also signaling to other countries, such as New Zealand, that they will be “near the front of the queue”.
US President Donald Trump has said a deal with the UK could be “big and exciting” in terms of jobs, accusing the EU of a “very protectionist” stance towards America.
The EU has insisted Brexit talks will only be held by the European Commission, and the Department for Exiting the European Union confirmed Mr Davis' talks with officials in Germany would be private.
Brussels has also made clear that trade talks between the UK and the EU must wait until other issues, including the status of expats and any “divorce bill” to be paid by the UK, have been settled.
The role of the European Court of Justice has emerged as a stumbling block to a deal on citizen's rights, despite both sides insisting that they want to come an arrangement.
The UK is seeking a “comprehensive free trade deal” with the EU after Brexit to replace its membership of the common market and customs union.
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Read all commentsReally, Australia? Is the UK so bereft of priorities it needs to rapidly negotiate a deal with Australia ahead of much larger trading partners? And someone needs to explain to the May Administration, as the first among equals in the EU, Germany and will not negotiate with the UK on its own.
Jul 26th, 2017 - 02:00 pm 0As for the US, they'd better cut a deal quick before Anglophile Trump is out on his ear en route to the pokey. Once the more establishment Pence is president, any month now, the UK will not get a better deal.
Brexiteers huh. Sound like a solid Pirate's name.
Jul 26th, 2017 - 02:12 pm 0TTT
Jul 26th, 2017 - 06:15 pm 0No ! It would be more like the Three Musketeers
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