Grassley says he’d still make deal with UK in case of no-deal Brexit

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) threw his support to new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday, saying the U.S. would happily entertain a new trade deal, even in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Johnson has threatened to move forward with Brexit on Oct. 31 even without a deal, which would introduce trade barriers between Ireland and North Ireland, possibly upsetting a hard-fought peace deal.

 

{mosads}Grassley, whose committee has jurisdiction over trade in the Senate, said how the U.K. handles Brexit was none of his concern.

“The general proposition I have is I’m for free trade agreements with whoever wants to have them with us and whoever we can negotiate a fair agreement with,” he said.

Grassley also said, “What happens in regard to Ireland and Northern Ireland and Britain being in or out is a British issue.”

His comments are a split from Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) over how the U.S. should respond to a potential no-deal Brexit.

In April, Pelosi warned that she would oppose a new U.S.-U.K. trade deal if Brexit harmed Irish peace. 

“Let me be clear: if the Brexit deal undermines the Good Friday accords, there will be no chance of a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement,” she told Ireland’s parliament.

The British pound has lost some 3 percent of its value since Johnson took office last week over concerns that a no-deal Brexit would leave the U.K. in the cold when it comes to its trade relationships.