US Trade Policy and British Democratic Accountability: Key Concerns for a New Trade Deal

By Michael J. Cummings

Recently, U.S. Trade Ambassador Katherine Tai shared a shift in U.S. trade policy direction with the London-based Financial Times (FT). She explained the post-WW II “trickle-down economic policy” that allowed short-term profit-driven businesses to maximize their gains …[while]… profits and executive pay soared; …workers were left behind.” By deferring to the market, she wrote, communities were devastated as trade policy remained isolated from democratic accountability.

FT UK Editor Robert Shrimsley countered this “retrenchment” would embolden authoritarian states, raise alarm among U.S. democratic partners, and contradicted the ‘new’ 2021 US-UK Atlantic Charter provisions to open new markets and “to promote and support democratic values.” This criticism was not unexpected. It ignored, however, concerns raised by the Biden Administration for Britain’s democratic accountability. They have undermined the obligations of the 1998 EU-UK Irish Peace Treaty, ignored and corrupted the democratic values of the Charter, and abandoned the rule of law to cover up security services lawlessness in N.I.

A new British Labour government may see trade and democratic accountability differently. The mood music for a new US-UK trade deal must send the right signal to other nations who have reasons to question American credibility. The priority America gives to Britain’s trade wishes must consider many factors, not the least of which is the murderous meddling of the UK in Ireland and a record of broken agreements in the Irish peace process.

First, the promised Irish unity poll of the 1998 peace treaty has been ignored, sidelined, and dismissed by every British government for a quarter century. The provision was to address a ‘democracy deficit’ caused by Britain choosing to carve up Ireland after its defeat in 1918 elections and then governing N.I. for decades with deceit, discrimination, and destabilization.

Second, Britain’s 2023 N.I. Legacy law is a violation of the EU Convention on Human Rights and reflects abandoning the rule of law to absolve lawlessness by British security services.

Third, according to Sir Patrick Wintour MP, Britain’s banking system is responsible for as much as 40% of the world’s money laundering, which supports illegal human trafficking, arms and drug smuggling, and, most importantly, undermines U.S. sanctions imposed on nations like Iran and Putin’s oligarchs resident in London. The British media cover story about Brexit was the refugee crisis. The truth? EU regulations were at the ready to combat and penalize Britain’s profitable illegal money laundering. The 2023 N.I. Legacy law was to bury the truth about British security services and hate-filled loyalists collaborating in killing innocent civilians.

Unfortunately, Prime Minister Sir Keir has uttered nothing to suggest the next 5 years will bring any changes in England’s Irish policy. That should give Ambassador Tai and President Biden plenty to ponder and share with Members of Congress if there is any discussion about a new trade deal with Britain any time soon.

● Michael J. Cummings, a native of Springfield, Mass., is a graduate of St. Anselm’s College (B.A., 1968) and New York University (MPA., 1970). He co-founded the American Brexit Committee in 2016 and served as Secretary from 2016 – March, 2023.