Emma McClarkin meets Trump Transition Team in D.C.

East Midlands MEP Emma McClarkin is in the United States meeting up with members of the Trump Transition Team and attending the inauguration of US President elect Donald Trump.

Emma says, “The inauguration provides British representatives and myself a vital opportunity to discuss international trade issues, business opportunities with key trade representatives and Trump team members.  Business and trade is built on trust and relationships. Success or failure has a huge impact on the East Midlands as our region does more trade with the U.S. than with the E.U. Positive relations between our two nations would provide such lucrative opportunities for the East Midlands, in 2015 alone, exports from the East Midlands to the US equated to £2.1bn in revenue.”

“The outcome of last year’s referendum has given the United Kingdom a renewed sense of focus and endeavour. Liam Fox, our Secretary of State for International Trade has already opened up a number of new trade missions across the United States. The Department of Trade and Industry has been working its socks off around the country arranging trade delegations around the world, and businesses from the East Midlands have been visiting the U.S. as part of our mission to seek new opportunities.”

Emma continues, “The history of the USA and the UK is deeply intertwined and our relationships with new Presidents and Prime Ministers are not inherited, but built upon. We don’t get to elect the US president, but we get to work with him to further our mutual interests. Building trade relations not only deepens political partnerships, but helps shape them too.”