Category: Trade

  • Ruth Cadbury – 2020 Comments on Tony Abbott

    Ruth Cadbury – 2020 Comments on Tony Abbott

    The question asked by Ruth Cadbury, the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, in the House of Commons on 3 September 2020.

    The Minister said that he welcomed the Government’s appointment of Tony Abbott as a trade adviser, but on Sky this morning, Kay Burley reminded the Health Secretary that the appointee is a misogynist and homophobe, which the International Trade Secretary’s colleague appeared to confirm by saying, “But he’s also an expert on trade.” Could the International Trade Secretary not find an expert for the role who demonstrates positive British values and, by the way, is not a climate change denier?

  • Emily Thornberry – 2020 Comments on Tony Abbott and the Car Industry

    Emily Thornberry – 2020 Comments on Tony Abbott and the Car Industry

    The comments made by Emily Thornberry, the Shadow International Trade Secretary, on 4 September 2020.

    From the first moment Tony Abbott was proposed for this role on Britain’s Board of Trade, I’ve said we need to judge him not just on his despicable personal history of offensive statements and views, but on his equally dismal professional record as well.

    Tony Abbott wilfully destroyed what was left of Australia’s car industry after taking office in 2013, with the calculated withdrawal of government support, and the deliberate goading of overseas investors to quit. A once proud industry employing 200,000 workers was left to die.

    We cannot have a man like that in charge of trade talks which will have a direct bearing on the future of British car manufacturing in Sunderland, Solihull, Ellesmere Port, Halewood, Burnaston, Oxford and elsewhere, especially when the industry is already under huge economic pressure.

    I’ve been saying for the past week we need to listen to the Australians who know Abbott best, and they are warning us loud and clear: do not let this man do to your car industry what he did to ours.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2020 Comments on Appointment of Tony Abbott

    Emily Thornberry – 2020 Comments on Appointment of Tony Abbott

    The comments made by Emily Thornberry, the Shadow International Trade Secretary, on 4 September 2020.

    There are two factors that should have immediately disqualified Tony Abbott from this role.

    First, his history of offensive statements is so long and repetitive that it speaks to serious defects in his character, which is not one I think should be representing Britain on the world stage.

    And second, the fact that he has no experience of detailed trade negotiations, no understanding of Brexit, no belief in climate change, no concern for workers’ rights, and no compunction about killing off Australia’s car industry mean, to my mind, that he has no credentials for this role.

    Tony Abbott is therefore the wrong appointment on every level, which begs the more important question of why on earth Boris Johnson and Liz Truss have given him the job.

    However, with this shambolic excuse for a government, we may continue to be appalled and disappointed at their serial incompetence, but we should never any longer be surprised.

  • Liz Truss – 2020 Statement on Trade Negotiations with New Zealand

    Liz Truss – 2020 Statement on Trade Negotiations with New Zealand

    Text of the statement made by Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for International Trade, on 29 July 2020.

    We are now one step closer to an ambitious, wide-ranging free trade agreement with one of our oldest friends. An FTA with New Zealand can bring investment, better jobs, higher wages and more affordable prices just when we need them the most. Both teams of negotiators recognised the unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves in and reiterated that more global trade is essential to support post-Covid economic recovery. Negotiations were conducted virtually and covered a comprehensive set of discussions across areas of a trade agreement.

    The discussions covered:

    Anti-Corruption
    Clean Growth
    Competition
    Cross-cutting general provisions
    Customs
    Digital trade
    Domestic Regional Economic Development
    Environment
    Financial Services
    Trade in Goods and Trade Remedies
    Good Regulatory Practice
    Indigenous Trade
    Intellectual Property
    Investment
    Labour
    Procurement
    Rules of Origin
    Services, including Mobility
    Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
    State Owned Enterprises
    Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
    State to State Dispute Settlement
    Technical Barriers to Trade
    Telecommunications
    Trade and Development
    Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment
    Transparency

    Discussions between negotiators were productive and reflected our shared ambition to secure a comprehensive deal to boost trade and investment between our like-minded economies. Teams discussed their respective objectives and agreed a forward plan for future talks. Our positive discussions in round one have laid the groundwork for the UK and New Zealand to achieve high-quality outcomes across the agreement.

    The UK and New Zealand are aligned in many areas which will enable us to make quick progress across many chapters. In discussions, both countries emphasised a desire to be particularly ambitious in areas including enhancing digital trade, boosting cross-border trade in services and investment, reducing uncertainty and burdens on exporters from customs procedures, and promoting good regulatory practices. Discussions also provided an opportunity for both teams to consider how we can work together across the agreement to support important agendas such as women’s economic empowerment, trade and development, indigenous trade, clean growth and climate action, and ensuring Small and Medium sized Enterprises can benefit from the FTA.

    The Government is committed to negotiating a comprehensive agreement with New Zealand and we look forward to making further progress. The Government will make its next statement on progress following the second round of talks, which is currently planned to take place in October. We will explore the option of face-to-face negotiations when it is safe to do so.

  • Liz Truss – 2020 Comments on the Trade and Agriculture Commission

    Liz Truss – 2020 Comments on the Trade and Agriculture Commission

    Comments made by Liz Truss, the International Trade Secretary, on 27 July 2020.

    We’re stepping up our engagement with all the groups who have an interest in Britain’s agriculture trade policy. The Trade and Agriculture Commission will ensure the voices of the public and industry are heard, and that their interests are advanced and protected. It will advise the government on how Britain can remain a world-leader in animal welfare and environmental standards, and how we can seize new export opportunities for our farmers.

    This is about putting British farming at the heart of our trade policy and ensuring that our agriculture industry is amongst the most competitive and innovative in the world.

  • Liz Truss – 2020 Comments on UK and India Trade Deal

    Liz Truss – 2020 Comments on UK and India Trade Deal

    Comments made by Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for International Trade, on 24 July 2020.

    My first JETCO with India has been an opportunity to take stock of progress made so far between our countries and look at barriers preventing our trading relationship from reaching its full potential. India is an incredibly important partner for the UK. As one of the world’s largest economies and democracies, it is a powerhouse that will play a major role in shaping the 21st Century. Today we agreed to look in detail at a framework for a deeper relationship. At this stage we want to keep all options on the table, including the possibility of a free trade agreement as some point in the future.