Fox pressed on chlorinated chicken amid United States trade deal talks

"To help achieve that, we urge the Government to secure the inclusion of high farm animal welfare standards in any free trade agreements it negotiates after Brexit". The International Trade Secretary has even been accused by his critics of wishful thinking over what Britain will look like outside of the EU.

Trade secretary Liam Fox is now in the States, hoping to prepare the ground for trade deal ahead of Brexit.

Wrong - at least one Yank shares his optimism. "Any future trade deal must work for United Kingdom farmers, businesses and consumers".

However, under current European Union rules, however, Britain remains a full member of the bloc and, as such, is unable to negotiate trade deals outside of Brussels.

"Our work as an worldwide economic department has never been more important and our exit from the European Union offers an unprecedented opportunity to reshape our independent trading ambitions and build on the already strong trading relationship with our single largest trading partner - the US". The meeting of the UK-US working group will "provide the mechanism for preparing the ground for a potential free trade agreement", the department said.

The British Poultry Council slammed the notion of importing chlorine-washed chickens as part of a "makeweight in trade negotiations with the U.S".

"We want to engage with the world again in a way that we haven't been able to do for 43 years and we want to engage above all with our old friends and partners like New Zealand".

"The working group provides a springboard, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive free trade agreement between our two nations, post-Brexit - to start a new and exciting chapter in our special relationship". "The 27 nations of the European Union will remain our close allies, on defense, security, and trade". The second round of talks between Britain and the bloc ended with disagreements over the Irish border, the cost of the divorce and citizens' rights - issues that must be resolved before the two sides can turn to trade.

For context, many pointed to the infamous incident in 1990 when then agriculture minister John Gummer fed a beef burger to his four-year-old daughter to convince the country that British beef was safe amid fears the cattle disease BSE could infect humans.

The UK is likely to face significant barriers to a trade agreement, given the U.S. has long pushed a general dilution of health and environment regulation.

On July 13, Fox said in a Bloomberg TV interview he would be "very happy" with a transition period of just "a few months".

"That means America will be able to take advantage of the situation unless it takes into account the so-called "special relationship" between London and Washington, which I don't think it will".