PRESS RELEASE : Americas Minister champions UK-US relationship in New England [February 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 February 2024.

David Rutley will be strengthening UK-US economic links and deepening security ties with the UK’s closest ally on a visit to New England and Washington DC.

Strengthening economic links that support millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic and deepening security ties with the UK’s closest ally will be the focus for Americas Minister David Rutley as he begins a visit to New England and Washington DC today (Tuesday 20 February).

Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories David Rutley said:

The UK has no better friend than America. It is a partnership that delivers security and prosperity for communities on both sides of the Atlantic and around the world.

The strength of that bond has been clear on my visits to states across the US and I am now looking forward to boosting those deep and long-standing links in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, by driving forward trade, technology and cultural partnerships that help tie us together as the closest of allies.

His trip to New Hampshire and Massachusetts will continue a programme of visits that Minister Rutley is making to states across the US as he champions the UK as a great investment and business partner and highlights the unrivalled security and defence ties between the two allies.

With the US and UK already having more than £1 trillion invested in each other’s economies, it is a relationship that presents huge opportunities for people and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic – supporting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s priority to grow the UK’s economy and create better paying jobs.

The UK supports more jobs in America than any other country, with more than 1.2 million people working for British companies, while almost 1.5 million people do the same for American companies in the UK.

In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, world-renowned British businesses such as BAE Systems and GlaxoSmithKline support jobs for almost 44,000 Bay Staters and around 13,000 New Hampshirites.

While in New England, Minister Rutley will discuss with political, business and industry leaders how the UK and US can strengthen cooperation in key sectors, including a meeting with representatives from Fenway Sporting Group at the iconic Fenway Park in Boston.

At a conference at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science, he will also discuss how a UK-US partnership signed last year is accelerating global fusion energy development.

The UK is widely recognised as a world leader in the most promising fusion technologies and the UK-US partnership follows the launch of the UK’s updated Fusion Strategy.

Minister Rutley will also deliver a speech at the Harvard Business School, his alma mater, while in Boston.

He will reaffirm the strength of the UK’s relationship with its closest strategic ally and their alignment across foreign policy goals, including support for Ukraine, in working towards a sustainable peace in the Middle East and in responding to challenges posed by China.

Following his trip to New England, Minister Rutley will then travel to Washington DC where he will attend the National Governors Association winter meeting to meet with key state-level political leaders as he further deepens economic and security links across the US.

Notes to editors:

• Minister Rutley graduated from Harvard Business School in 1985 having completed a two-year MBA.
• The UK and Massachusetts share a goods trading relationship that was worth £3.4 billion in 2022. Almost 44,000 Bay Staters go to work each day in jobs supported by UK companies.
• The UK and New Hampshire share a goods trading relationship that was worth £343 million in 2022. Around 13,000 New Hampshirites go to work each day in jobs supported by UK companies.
• The UK-US partnership to accelerate global fusion energy development was signed in November 2023 to promote further global collaboration vital and innovation in this flourishing technology and builds on the UK’s Fusion Strategy to lead the global commercialisation of fusion energy, announced in October 2023.