THE RESULT of the US election could have huge consequences for any potential Brexit deal for Boris Johnson.
The UK Government is reportedly waiting for the result of the poll before deciding whether or not to push ahead with a no-deal Brexit with the EU.
While President Trump has aligned himself with the Brexit campaign, Joe Biden is likely to take a less favourable approach to a no-deal Brexit.
Mr Biden has previously warned that the Good Friday agreement, which many believe could be put at risk by the UK leaving the EU, cannot be allowed to become a “casualty of Brexit”.
READ MORE: US election results UK time: When will US election results be announced?
He added: “Any trade deal between the US and UK must be contingent upon respect for the agreement and preventing the return of a hard border. Period.”
Senior Democrats in the United States have widely criticised the Internal Market Bill giving UK ministers the power to override elements of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement relating to Northern Ireland, even though the UK Government has admitted it breaches international law.
Mr Biden was vice president when Barack Obama warned in 2016 that the UK would go to the “back of the queue” for a trade deal if it left the EU.
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has however insisted Britain would continue to work closely with the US, regardless of wins the election, and said the UK Internal Market Bill was designed to protect the peace process in Northern Ireland.
Senior European figures have suggested that Boris Johnson is awaiting the result of the US election before gauging whether it is wise to pursue a no-deal Brexit.
Ivan Rogers, a former UK permanent representative to Brussels said that many officials and ministers across Europe believe Mr Johnson is more likely to press ahead with a no-deal strategy if Donald Trump is re-elected.
He told The Observer: “Several very senior sources in capitals have told me they believe Johnson will await clarity on the presidential election result before finally deciding whether to jump to ‘no deal’ with the EU, or to conclude that this is just too risky with Biden heading for the White House, and hence live with some highly suboptimal (for Johnson) skinny free-trade agreement.”
Whisky tarrifs
Scotch whisky, along with cheese and cashmere have been subject to 25 per cent tariffs since October 2019 after the United States won a legal case over subsidies paid by European governments to aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
Joe Biden's top foreign policy adviser has suggested that the presidential candidate would bring an end to the "artificial trade war" if he becomes the next US president.
The Prime Minister has raised the tariffs directly with Mr Trump, while Ms Truss has consistently pressed US Trade Representative Robert Lightizer to halt the penalties.
READ MORE: Would Biden win lift Scotch whisky’s prospects in US?
Westminster officials hope that the EU's retaliatory rights in the Boeing row will force more pressure on the US to end the tariffs on imported products.
Mr Biden's adviser, Antony Blinken warned that the US Government needed to “improve our economic relations” with Europe.
He added “We need to bring to an end an artificial trade war that the Trump administration started.”
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