Donald Trump will want a good deal with UK, says minister

Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of the United Kingdom, insisted that President-elect Donald Trump wants to strike a favorable deal with the UK. Jones expressed his confidence in deepening UK-US trade relations and deemed Peter Mandelson a "brilliant" choice for the new British ambassador to the US. He emphasized that the British government is optimistic about establishing a good relationship with the incoming US administration.

However, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed that Prime Minister Keir Starmer's negotiation position is "weak" due to his desire to strengthen ties with both the EU and the US. Farage argued that the Prime Minister's refusal to choose between the US and the EU will cause the UK to miss a "golden opportunity" to break free from tariffs and negotiate free trade agreements.

Despite Trump's discontent with the EU, the Prime Minister maintains that he can strike a balance between the two, maintaining strong trade and security relationships. Jones stated that the UK can avoid Trump's proposed 20% tax on all goods imported into the US, because the UK does not have a "trade deficit", adding that the government is "prepared for all eventualities."

Jones also said that despite reports that the President-elect may reject Mandelson, and even that a senior Trump advisor called him an "absolute moron," he remains confident that Mandelson will build a "very strong partnership" with the new administration. Mandelson launched a charm offensive on the eve of Trump's inauguration, praising his "forthrightness and deal-making instincts," and speaking of a new "Atlantic alliance."

Labour Mayor of London Sadiq Khan warned of a "resurgent fascism" on the eve of Trump's inauguration, a claim that Jones strongly opposed, insisting that the British government respects Trump's democratic mandate. He also stated: "Speaking for the government, we do not agree with that characterisation."

Farage's view of the UK-US "special relationship" is less optimistic. A long-time supporter of Trump, he was rejected by the government as an intermediary to negotiate with the President-elect. Farage stated that the government needs to "think outside the box" when dealing with the Trump administration, but that all evidence, including the appointment of Mandelson, shows that they are not. He believes that the British government is sticking to established methods and missing an opportunity.

Current Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized that despite a free trade deal with the US being a priority in Boris Johnson's 2019 Conservative manifesto, the UK still does not have a free trade deal with the US, and considers leaving the EU without a plan for growth to be "a mistake." Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel admitted there was a legislative plan to initiate Brexit, but also acknowledged the lack of a subsequent plan to rebuild economic relations.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran claimed that the Conservatives are now competing with Reform UK to be the "most subservient party to Trump," but argued that the UK should not have "blind faith" in the new administration. She criticized Patel's eagerness for a UK-US free trade agreement, arguing that it could harm British farmers and food standards, and noted that her true allies are the "Mar-a-Lago set," not British voters.