Britain’s bumper post-Brexit trade deal with US could be OFF thanks to Theresa May’s Brexit plans, Donald Trump’s ambassador warns

A BUMPER post-Brexit trade deal between Britain and America is “up in the air”, Donald Trump’s ambassador to the UK declared yesterday.

In a dramatic intervention that will pile pressure on Theresa May, Woody Johnson suggested a transatlantic agreement could be at risk following the PM’s soft Brexit plan.

Speaking 72 hours ahead of Donald Trump’s arrival, the US Ambassador said he still hoped would be possible to cement US-UK ties as the President would “love to have one”.

But challenged about the Chequers agreement from Friday, he told Five Live: “I think that there was a briefing that came out, as I understand it.

“It was very short, a couple of pages.

“I would say that the bilateral agreement, whether we have one or not, is totally up in the air at this point.”

Brexit backing Tory MPs claim the PM’s soft Brexit strategy will “prohibit” a deal because Mrs May is committing Britain to follow Brussels’ rules on goods and agriculture.

They claim Washington will not want to sign up to something which doesn’t include these sectors.

Speaking in the Commons yesterday, Theresa May insisted the UK would have an independent trade policy, but one senior Eurosceptic Tory accused Mrs May for choosing Brussels over the “special relationship” with America.

They told The Sun: “Donald Trump is going to turn up on Thursday, ask about a trade deal and find out that one is now unlikely to ever happen because we’re staying so close to Europe.”

He said: “Absolutely, from the US standpoint, yes, we’d love to do a bilat, and the President said he’d like to do it quickly, and all hands on deck - so we’ll get it done.

“I think he looks at Brexit as an opportunity.”

He added: “The President has stated very clearly that a bilateral with the US is something that he’s in favour of. He also respects sovereignty.

“He’s talked about sovereignty. He’s looking at it in our country as well. So I think the special relationship is alive and well and stronger than ever.”

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