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To be clear, the UK government's capricious behavior is a bad look, but it won't necessarily prove fatal to future trade alliances. It could, however, weaken its negotiating position.
"The UK is a substantial economy," and is an "attractive trade partner in many ways," said Simon Usherwood, a professor of politics and international studies at The Open University in England.
Potential partners, such as New Zealand and other Pacific nations, may just insist on more robust ways to settle disputes in case the United Kingdom tried to backtrack on a deal, he told CNN Business.
"If you wanted a trade deal with the UK, now is probably the best time to get one on your own terms," Usherwood added, pointing to the highly accommodating deal the UK government granted Australia. "The UK is in a tight situation. It needs to show that leaving the EU was a worthwhile venture."