TTIP EU-US TRade: US seeking bilateral trade deal with UK to press EU on TTIP - by Patrick Wintour

A potentially swift bilateral trade and investment deal with the UK is being suggested by American officials as a way of pressing the European Union to speed up its own stalled transatlantic trade deal, as well as cementing a commitment to the UK-US economic relationship.

The news will be welcomed by the international trade secretary, Liam Fox, who has been charged with striking British trade deals to replace the EU’s deals with the rest of the world.

The UK cannot formally sign any trade deals with other countries or trading blocs until it has left the EU, but it appears to be accepted that negotiations on the outline shape of such deals can start before that happens.

During the EU referendum campaign Barack Obama, the US President, said the UK would have to go to the back of the queue for a trade deal with America if it left the EU, but in the wake of the vote US thinking seems to be changing. Fox is due to visit the US shortly.

Note EU-Digest: Hopefully the EU does not get bamboozled by the this game playing of the "Anglo Saxon team" and capitulate on their principals by approving this basically bad deal for the EU.

Read more: US seeking bilateral trade deal with UK to press EU on TTIP | US news | The Guardian