UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer has appointed Indian-origin professional Varun Chandra because the nation’s new particular envoy to the US on commerce and funding. Chandra will likely be chargeable for furthering the UK’s financial pursuits in America, because the UK seeks to fix relations strained by the Greenland disaster.
Chandra is at the moment Starmer’s enterprise liaison in Downing Road. He was additionally a part of the talks held between the UK and US on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos amid Trump’s efforts to accumulate Greenland, Bloomberg reported.
Banker-turned-consultant Chandra has longstanding Labour Occasion ties, the report mentioned. Beforehand, Chandra served as the worldwide managing associate at Hakluyt, a worldwide advisory agency.
Chandra was born with Indian roots to immigrant mother and father in South Shields in northeast England, The Monetary Categorical reported. His work revolves round finance and strategic advisor. He travels to Washington repeatedly and builds relations with key figures of the Trump administration, together with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Final yr, Chandra helped in securing a UK-US commerce settlement, after which decrease tariffs have been imposed on Britain than on the European Union, though efforts to make progress in expertise and different sectors have since stalled.
Starmer now desires Chandra to work together with Christian Turner, the brand new British ambassador to Washington.
Turner has been tasked with maximising enterprise relationships, whereas Chandra has been tasked with specializing in diplomacy.
The appointment signifies Starmer’s deal with prioritising British mushy energy and bettering relations with the US, even because it has confronted stress from Trump in latest days.
Earlier, US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick appreciated Chandra as an “wonderful consultant” of Nice Britain and a “trusted pal”.
The transfer comes amid tensions between Britain and the US over President Donald Trump’s pursuit to accumulate Greenland and his latest feedback concerning the NATO troops staying off the frontlines in Afghanistan.
