Politics

Biden, Sunak Sign Atlantic Declaration

JUN 9 2023·Updated FEB 21 2024

Story

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

On Thursday, US Pres. Joe Biden and British PM Rishi Sunak signed the Atlantic Declaration, an economic partnership related to advanced technologies, clean energy, and critical minerals, during Sunak’s official visit to the White House.
Reuters
The declaration, which falls short of a full trade deal, binds the two countries to ease trade barriers, protect data, cooperate on artificial intelligence, and tighten defense-industry ties.
BBC News
As part of the deal, which includes the US committing $17.5B in investments to the UK, Biden will ask Congress to designate Britain as a “domestic source” of electric vehicle minerals so the UK will receive more favorable trade terms under the Inflation Reduction Act.
CNBC
This series of mini-agreements will fill in for a US-UK free-trade agreement, which the British Conservative Party promised in 2019 would be negotiated within three years. However, there’s currently little support in US Congress for one.
VOA
The two leaders also discussed geopolitical matters, including their continued support for Ukraine, commitment to the new AUKUS partnership (together with Australia), and a desire to strengthen the Good Friday Agreement.
Al Jazeera

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The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

The Atlantic Declaration consists of numerous agreements that could benefit the UK, but many of them are aspirational at present. More importantly, regardless of how he spins it, Sunak hasn’t delivered the free-trade agreement Conservatives promised. This will be a tough sell back home.

Yahoo! News

Pro-establishment narrative

The Atlantic Declaration takes the necessary steps to reinforce the relationship between the US and the UK. The two countries will collaborate in several realms and will strengthen supply chains. Sunak’s party might have fallen short of free trade, but it’s just not a viable goal in the face of the current global challenges.