Delay of the US election result is a dilemma for the UK’s Brexit deal

A legal challenge of the US election result means a dilemma for the UK Government in deciding on a UK/EU Brexit deal”, say leading tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg.

The US Presidential election is on a knife edge and Joe Biden is currently in the lead, and President Trump has said he has won and has alleged election fraud.

Alex Altmann a partner at the firm, who is also a Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany said, “The negotiations with the EU are in the final round and a trade deal is close. The EU wants a deal to be agreed by 13 November to have enough time for the lengthy ratification process with their member states. The die has been cast and it is time to finalise the deal now.”

Altmann added, “The prospect of a quick UK/US trade deal is in jeopardy now and does not help the UK’s negotiation position with the EU. The UK certainly lost some leverage with the unclear US election result. The prospect of a Biden White House is real, who wants to see the Irish Good Friday agreement protected by a Brexit deal before negotiating a UK/US trade deal. This will severely impact the UK government’s negotiating position.

“A Brexit deal announced next week would boost the rattled UK economy and might increase the chances of a swift US/UK trade deal in 2021. If the UK Government wants to avoid two “no-deals”, it needs to come to terms and finalise the negotiations with the EU now.”

Joe Biden’s team said that if Trump  does go to the Supreme Court to prevent “proper tabulation of votes,” as he threatened earlier this morning, the Democrats will have lawyers on standby.

In a statement, Biden’s campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon said, “We repeat what the Vice President said tonight, Donald Trump does not decide the outcome of this election. Joe Biden does not decide the outcome of this election.

“The American people decide the outcome of this election. And the democratic process must and will continue until its conclusion.

“Nearly 100m people cast their ballot before Election Day in the belief — and with the assurances from their state election officials – that their ballot would be counted.

“Now Donald Trump is trying to invalidate the ballot of every voter who relied on these assurances.

“If the president makes good on his threat to go to court to try to prevent the proper tabulation of votes, we have legal teams standing by ready to deploy to resist that effort. And they will prevail.”