UK, Canada Resume Trade Talks to Deepen £27.5 Billion Ties

The United Kingdom, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is seeking to restart stalled trade negotiations with Canada to strengthen commercial ties and mitigate the economic impact of US President Donald Trump's tariff policies. Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have agreed to form a working group to deepen their trading relationship, focusing on market access, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence, with a report due in six months. Previous talks broke down over disputes involving beef and cheese tariffs following Brexit, leading to increased Canadian tariffs on British agricultural products. Both countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), with Canada planning to introduce legislation to ratify the UK's accession, which would lower tariffs further. Starmer aims to position the UK as a free and open trading nation by reducing trade barriers while balancing diplomatic relations amid shifting global trade dynamics. The UK government, having secured recent trade deals with India, the US, and the EU, is now prioritizing the revival of UK-Canada trade talks to reinforce economic alliances.