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UK pens ‘tokenistic’ Texas trade pact in post-Brexit bid to keep US on side

It comes after Joe Biden dashed hopes of a UK-US trade deal before Britain’s next general election

Rishi Sunak, British PM and Joe Biden, US president: a UK-US trade deal had been a long-held ambition for Britain's post-Brexit leaders. Picture: Getty

As Leo Varadkar prepares to sit down with Joe Biden to discuss US-Irish relations in Washington, politicians in London will have to content themselves with Texas governor Greg Abbott.

The Republican politician is in London to meet Kemi Badenoch, Britain's trade secretary, and sign a so-called statement of mutual cooperation between the UK and Texas.

It is the latest in a series of efforts to consolidate the UK’s global trading relationships after Brexit.

Pitched as ...