Biden will welcome UK as an active global ally - Chamber
Transatlantic business leaders believe new US president Joe Biden will welcome the UK as “an active ally on the global stage ”.
Biden was be sworn as the 46th president of the United States of America last week, succeeding Donald Trump in the White House.
Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce, the Midlands ' only business organisation dedicated to prompting trade between the UK and North America, believes the incoming president will re-establish the US at the heart of the debate on global issues, in a shift from Trump 's 'America First ' policy.
And Transatlantic Chamber president Professor Julian Beer says Biden will see the UK as an active ally on many of these issues.
Professor Beer said: “While the deep divisions in US society will take a long time to solve it will be back to business for Biden in the White House at home and abroad.
“The new administration has many pressing matters to deal with, not least the pandemic and dealing with the social and economic implications of a slow response so far.
“However, he has set his stall out very clearly domestically on a green recovery and stimulating economic recovery and on the role of the US on a global stage again once again, with the US emerging from the shadows of the America First agenda perused by the previous incumbent. That has got to be good news for all of us.
“I have said before, that I think that our 'special relationship ' in the future will be impacted post Brexit and we would move to a different tripartite 'special relationship ' including the EU in Washington 's approach to transatlantic relationships and I have seen or heard nothing from Biden or his team to change my mind on that.
“I am sure, the new administration will be focused early in the term on repairing US relationships with Germany and France and the rest of the EU as a priority, whilst at the same trying to balance out any remaining tensions within the EU and UK relationship now we are out of the EU.
“However, I am also confident that the US will also welcome the UK as an active ally on a wider global stage on joint interests as it re-joins the global debate on the big issues. ”
Stuart Bagshaw, president of the British American Business Council of which the Transatlantic Chamber is part, welcomed the new president and said the strong bond between UK and US businesses transcends politics on both sides of the Atlantic.
Mr Bagshaw said: “The United States and the United Kingdom have for many decades enjoyed a unique relationship, not only between our Governments, but between businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.
“To this day, the UK is the single largest inward investor into the United States, and that is reciprocated with the US being the largest inward investor into the UK.
“Those business ties cement a strong bond between us that has transcended numerous elections on both sides of the Atlantic.
“We welcome the incoming President, Joe Biden, and we look forward to continuing the cooperation between both our great nations. ”
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