Obama quashes prospect of fast-track Brexit UK-U.S. trade deal

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama offered Britain little hope of a fast-track post-Brexit trade deal on Sunday, but said he would work to ensure the economic relationship between the two does not unravel after the British vote to leave the European Union.

Obama met with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the start of a G20 summit in China as Britain embarks on the long process of reinventing itself as an independent trading nation following the shock June EU referendum outcome.

Obama, who in April used a visit to London to tell Britain it would be at the back of the queue for a trade deal if it left the EU, met with May for the first time since she became prime minister to discuss Brexit and other global challenges.

He offered May reassurance that Britain's closest political, commercial and military ally would stand by her, but did not shrink away from his stance that Brexit was a mistake and that London would not be able to jump the queue to arrange a bilateral deal.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-china-usa-britain-idUSKCN11A08M

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WORLD NEWS | Sun Sep 4, 2016 6:02am EDT
By Roberta Rampton and William James | HANGZHOU, CHINA

[LeftishBrit]

1. What a mess we have got ourselves into.

[SwissTony]

2. There are so many commentators, even on platforms such as The Guardian...

who say things along the line of "OK, remain-ers. Where's the gloom and doom you predicted?"

Em...the UK hasn't actually left yet. In fact, you haven't even started to leave.

I hope May (or whoever) can turn this around, but some of the people on the EU side seem willing to inflict a bit of insult to injury. Let's hope rationality appears on both sides in the not too distant future.

[LeftishBrit]

4. Exactly. We're not out yet; and won't be for a bit; yet problems are already developing.

Many of us are objecting.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/march-for-europe-eu-protest-london-edinburgh-birmingham-oxford-cambridge-september-saturday-a7224186.html

[karynnj]

3. The Congress would never vote, at this time, for fast track of ANY trade deal

and votes do not even happen until there is a trade deal that has been negotiated. Not to mention, until the terms of how Britain leaves are determined and are actually at least scheduled to happen, it is hard to imagine Britain working on trade deals with anyone.

The likelihood that Britain leaves EU and a trade deal is worked out before Obama leaves office seems very low.