Labour’s approach to the US–UK relationship under Biden

Top lines

The US is the UK’s most important diplomatic, military and intelligence partner, as well as its largest single trading partner.

To many voters, Labour’s approach to this relationship will serve as an important indicator of its ability to form a coherent foreign policy and present itself as a credible government-in-waiting.

Historically, in office and in opposition, the party has struggled to strike the right balance when it comes to the UK’s relationship with the US, finding itself at times deeply divided over support for US military interventions and sceptical of presidents from the Republican Party. President Trump in particular has marked a low point in the Labour Party’s perception of the US–UK relationship.

Having left the European Union, the UK’s reliance on its relationship with the US will only increase, both in terms of trade and in other joint initiatives. Labour must be ready to work with the incoming Biden administration.

A new approach to the US–UK relationship should consider the need for concerted engagement while maintaining strategic autonomy where possible. It should be founded upon a recognition of mutual dependence and shared values, and an understanding of the continued role the UK can play in bridging the cultural divide between the EU, other allies and the US, which has been exacerbated under Donald Trump’s presidency.

Image credit: Joseph Biden joins a drive-in rally at Broward College, Florida, 2020. Adam Schultz / Biden for President via Flickr.