[ad_1]
During the call, the two leaders discussed their intention to maintain strong transatlantic ties, especially before the UK holds the G7 summit and the UN Conference on Climate Change next year. But in a warning to the Prime Minister, Biden also reminded him of the need to protect the peace process in Ireland. Following the exchange of niceties, the Biden administration highlighted the lawsuit in an official reading.
It read: “The President-elect expressed his intention to cooperate with the UK, NATO and the EU on shared transatlantic priorities, and reaffirmed his support for the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.”
The warning was not included in the official reading of number 10 of the call.
Biden’s comments referred to the UK internal market bill, which could impose a strict border on the island of Ireland unless certain clauses are removed.
The bill has caused a stir in the EU and the United States since it was revealed by No10 because it violated elements of the Withdrawal Agreement, which was signed in October.
Before winning the election, Biden warned that any trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom will hinge on keeping the peace in Ireland.
Biden, of Irish descent, said: “We cannot allow the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland to become a victim of Brexit.”
“Any trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom must depend on respecting the Agreement and preventing the return of a firm border.”
UK officials have insisted that the purpose of the internal market bill is to provide a necessary safety net if Brexit negotiations fail and to maintain the integrity of trade between delegated nations.
Mr Johnson also expressed this belief to the President of the EU Commission, Urusla von der Leyen, on Saturday and insisted that peace in Northern Ireland would not be hampered.
However, if the EU and the UK reach a trade agreement, some of the disagreements over the bill will cease to apply.
On Monday night, the House of Lords voted in favor of two amendments calling for the removal of controversial clauses in relation to state aid and customs clearance declarations.
The bill will now be sent back to the Commons, where amendments could be resubmitted, although Downing Street has confirmed that this will not happen until later this month.
FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES:
8.40am update: More from Jeremy Miles
Miles today urged the government to readjust its Brexit policy amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.
He said in a Welsh Government statement: “It didn’t have to be this way: the UK Government’s approach has been dictated by short-term political considerations rather than the long-term interests of the UK.”
“We continue to urge the UK government to change course and prioritize jobs, livelihoods and economic security.
“The Covid confusion has been imposed on us all. But to compound this with the agitation of leaving the transitional period without a deal or a small deal, it would be a matter of political choice on the part of the UK government. “
8.03am update: businesses are not ready for Brexit
Welsh businesses are not yet ready for the end of the Brexit transition period, said Jeremy Miles, General Counsel for Wales.
He has urged the UK government to do more to protect jobs after the end of the transition period on January 1.
Their fears come amid uncertainty over whether the UK and the EU will sign a trade deal before the end of this year.
He added: “These are big challenges and our message is not ‘everything will be fine’, but everyone needs to make sure they are aware of the impact on them and take appropriate action in the short time we have left.
“Whether the UK leaves the transition period with a weak deal or no deal, it will be a matter of political choice for the UK government.
“We are asking the UK government to make the right decisions to support jobs and livelihoods in Wales, to give people clarity and certainty that they are crying out for what will happen at the end of December.”
7.25am update: Joe Biden issues a Brexit warning to Boris Johnson
The president-elect shared a 25-minute phone call with the prime minister on Tuesday, where the couple discussed their intention to maintain cooperation on security and the UK’s organization of the UN Climate Change Conference and Summit. of the G7.
Amid the uproar over the UK Internal Market Act and its impacts on a US-UK trade deal, the President-elect also shared his desire to keep the Good Friday Agreement.
Mr Biden said: “The President-elect expressed his intention to cooperate with the UK, NATO and the EU on shared transatlantic priorities, and reaffirmed his support for the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.”
Biden believes that by invalidating parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol, included in the withdrawal agreement, as a result of the UK Internal Market Act, he could effectively move the trade border from the Irish Sea to Ireland.
This would then place a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, prompting him to warn of the implications in a trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom.
[ad_2]
