Starmer suggerisce il risveglio dei colloqui commerciali del Regno Unito-Canada prima del vertice del G7

Britain and [Canada](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/canada) will seek to revive stalled trade negotiations, Sir [Keir Starmer](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/keir-starmer) has indicated ahead of a meeting with [Mark Carney](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/mark-carney) in the lead-up to a major international summit.

The [Prime Minister](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/prime-minister) said the world’s “changing” economy means Britain must aim to reduce barriers with other allies as he flew to [Ottawa](https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/ottawa) for the first visit by a UK leader to the country  in eight years.

Negotiations between Britain and Canada on a post-Brexit trade agreement were halted last year under the previous Tory administration amid disputes over beef and cheese.

The Government has reached economic deals with India, the US and the EU in recent months and is looking to pursue further deals with other allies to mitigate the threat of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Sir Keir will be walking a diplomatic tightrope between strengthening bilateral relations with Ottawa and keeping the US president, who has expressed desires to annex the country as a “51st state”, on side.

Asked about the prospect of a trade agreement with Canada, the Prime Minister told reporters travelling with him to Ottawa on Saturday: “I want to increase our trade with Canada and I will be discussing how we do so with Mark Carney.

“I have known Mark a long time, we are allies and colleagues and I have a very good relationship with him. We do a lot of trade with Canada as it is.

“Some months ago I said the world is changing on trade and the economy, just as it is changing on defence and security and I think that means we need to be more securing our base at home and turbo-charging what we are doing on the cost of living and at the same time reducing trade barriers with other countries.

“I’ve been expressing that in my discussions with Mark Carney and he is in the same position.”

The Prime Minister said the interests of British citizens would be at the heart of his conversations with all international leaders as he prepares for a week of diplomacy at the G7 summit.

The UK and Canada have a trade relationship worth £28 billion to the British economy and are both members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Sir Keir will fly from Ottawa to Kananaskis in the Canadian mountains for talks with counterparts from the world’s leading economies.

Spiralling conflict in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine will be top of the agenda in the talks between the UK, Canada, the US, France, Italy, Japan and Germany.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also expected to attend.

Number 10 said the Prime Minister would use the trip to urge “restraint and de-escalation” after Iran launched retaliatory strikes on Israel overnight.

“In these dangerous times, I am determined to forge a unique path to secure and renew Britain in an era of global instability,” he said.

Didn’t realise they had died. Was this the Tories being dickheads as usual?

>Negotiations between Britain and Canada on a post-Brexit trade agreement were halted last year under the previous Tory administration

Ah. As with everything wrong with us at the moment.

Yes please. We like food without chemicals and dyes.