The UK government has been buoyed by optimistic noises coming out of both Washington and Sydney over the prospects of reaching trade deals once Britain has left the European Union.

President Trump 100 per cent confident of a deal

Anthony Scaramucci, recently appointed as Donald Trump's new communications chief, said that he was “100 per cent” confident that the president was committed to reaching such a deal with Britain.Meanwhile, Julie Bishop, Australia's foreign minister, said after talks with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson that her country was hoping to strike a “high-quality, comprehensive free trade agreement” with the UK.Mr Scaramucci was speaking to the BBC following a visit to Washington by International Business Secretary Liam Fox – a visit that prompted Mr Trump to tweet that a “very big and exciting” trade deal with Britain was on the cards.The White House communications chief cited the “special relationship” between the US and Britain and Mr Trump's love of the UK as reasons why a trade deal would be secured. Asked if a deal was in the offing, Mr Scaramucci said, “One hundred per cent. He (Mr Trump) loves the United Kingdom.“Think about the special relationship we've had since the inception of this great nation. You know what this nation is? It's a disruptive start-up, it was a group of rich guys who got together and said, 'You know what, we are going to break away from the other countries and start our own country'.“This is a disruptive start-up. You know what the president is doing? He is bringing it back to its roots of disruption.”

The question of a transitional period

On BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday, Karel De Gucht, emphasised that the UK would not be able to strike a trade deal with the US or anyone else until its withdrawal from the EU was complete.“Imagine that you have really left in 2019, which means you have simply walked out – OK, then you can make a trade deal with the US,” he said.“You will probably have to enter into a kind of a transitional period or time to negotiate will be extended. I don't know what is going to happen. I presume that the European Union will say 'Look, as long as you are part of the European Union and part of the internal market – because that's what you would like to be during the transition period – you are not going to enter into trade deals that are competitive with us'.”

Boris Johnson visits Sydney

Meanwhile, in Sydney, Ms Bishop shared a platform with Mr Johnson at the end of his nine-day trip to Japan, New Zealand and Australia, during which he expressed confidence of reaching post-Brexit deals with each of the nations.Ms Bishop said, “We discussed Brexit and the potential for Australia to enter into a free trade agreement with the European Union, and subsequently a free trade agreement between Australia and the UK.“We very much look forward to the moment when we can commence negotiations and conclude what I'm sure will be a high-quality, comprehensive free trade agreement, first with the EU and then, of course, between Australia and the UK.”

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Related news:

• UK ministers in global drive for new trade deals
• Britain 'to push for global liberalisation' as WTO member
• Doubts that US-UK trade deal can be done 'very, very quickly'

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Mr Johnson said he expected a “great” free trade deal with Australia, which would cover a new visa system that would be “open, friendly and receptive to Australians.“What we will be able to do once we take back control of our immigration arrangements is to have a system that is fair between everybody. We want to welcome talented Australians,” he said.“As we go through the process of leaving the arrangements of the EU, we are going to widen our horizons and work more closely,” he said. “We have today reaffirmed our shared goal of concluding a free trade agreement as soon as possible after we leave the European Union.”Mr Johnson said the two sides had also agreed to closer co-operation on cyberspace and the fight against modern slavery, with the Australian High Commission to chair a summit on the issue in London. 

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Read David Sapsted's article on Establishing Right to Remain – which discusses the uncertainty over immigration which the UK faces following Brexit – in the Summer 2017 issue of Relocate Magazine.

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For related news and features, visit our Brexit section.

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