Progress on post-Brexit trade deals slower than promised

The government is set to miss its target for securing post-Brexit trade agreements. 

At the 2019 election, the Conservative Party promised agreements covering 80% of UK trade by the end of this year, but the most recent figures suggest it will be just 63%. 

A government source said a trade deal with the US had been crucial to meeting the target, but this was not being prioritised by the Biden administration. 

A Department for International Trade source said: "We've set our sights high but recognise to meet this ambition we need a deal with the US, and it is clear the Biden Administration are not prioritising negotiating trade deals with other countries. 

"We're ready to progress talks when the US are, and in the meantime are working hard to secure trade wins for British firms such as removing barriers to American markets worth millions of dollars, resolving disputes like the steel and whisky tariff issues, and pursuing agreements with individual US states." 

The government also set a target this year to agree a free trade deal with India by Diwali, on 12 November, which was missed. 

Deals have been signed with the EU and 71 countries including Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The Japanese deal was criticised earlier this year after government figures revealed exports in UK goods and services had fallen to that country in the past year. 

Figures show a 15% fall in the number of UK exporters, the decline was steepest in the South East of England (23%) and the North West of England (15%). 

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