UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 20 JANUARY 2021
Joe Biden’s appointment as the 46th President of the United States is ‘good news for us all’ a leading academic has said.
Professor Julian Beer, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Birmingham City University, also President of the Greater Birmingham Transatlantic Chamber of Commerce, has welcomed President Biden’s appointment which formally took place today (20 January 2021).
He said: “While the deep divisions in US society will take a long time to solve it will now be back to business for Biden in the White House at home and abroad. The new administration has many pressing matters to deal with, not least the pandemic and dealing with the social and economic implications of a slow response so far. However, the President Elect has set his stall out very clearly domestically on a green recovery and stimulating economic recovery and on the role of the US on a global stage again once again, with the US emerging from the shadows of the America First agenda pursued by the previous incumbent. That has got to be good news for all of us.
“I have said before, that I think that our “special relationship” in the future will be impacted post Brexit and we would move to a different tripartite “special relationship” including the EU in Washington’s approach to transatlantic relationships. I have seen or heard nothing from Biden or his team to change my mind on that. I am sure, the new administration will be focused early in the term on repairing US relationships with Germany and France and the rest of the EU as a priority, whilst at the same trying to balance out any remaining tensions within the EU and UK relationship now we are out of the EU.
Professor Beers comments first appeared on the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce official site.