A special relationship faces social distancing

"It's definitely the case that if Johnson goes for a no-deal Brexit, there's little likelihood he'll be rewarded with a US trade deal," says John Springford, deputy director of the think tank Centre for European Reform and an expert on global trade.

...Additionally, a no-deal Brexit would cause a great deal of economic pain to Britain, at least in the short term. "To add another economic crisis on top of the pandemic is a step too far even for Johnson – it's a really bad idea," Springford says.