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Liam Fox speech hints at government confusion over Brexit Liam Fox speech hints at government confusion over Brexit
(35 minutes later)
Liam Fox has used a speech to the World Trade Organisation to portray post-Brexit Britain as a “proud and outward-looking trading nation” which would battle for liberalised commerce outside the EU. Liam Fox has used a speech to the World Trade Organisation to portray post-Brexit Britain as a “proud and outward-looking trading nation” that would battle for liberalised commerce outside the EU.
The address in Geneva was billed in advance as the international trade secretary making a significant push for a so-called hard Brexit, taking the UK outside the EU’s single market. However, critics said the lack of any new details on the terms of Brexit indicated confusion in the government over the issue.The address in Geneva was billed in advance as the international trade secretary making a significant push for a so-called hard Brexit, taking the UK outside the EU’s single market. However, critics said the lack of any new details on the terms of Brexit indicated confusion in the government over the issue.
Fox, speaking at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva at the launch of the organisation’s annual report on world trade, began by quoting free trade champion Adam Smith, saying was as much advocating “the moral case” for unhampered global commerce as arguing for economic reasons. Fox, speaking at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva at the launch of the organisation’s annual report on world trade, began by quoting free trade champion Adam Smith, saying he was as much advocating “the moral case” for unhampered global commerce as arguing for economic reasons.
“The message I want to leave you with today is that, at the multilateral level, you will have no greater champion than the UK in the push towards further trade liberalisation,” Fox said. “We will lead the charge for a fair and rule-based system for global trade and investment.”“The message I want to leave you with today is that, at the multilateral level, you will have no greater champion than the UK in the push towards further trade liberalisation,” Fox said. “We will lead the charge for a fair and rule-based system for global trade and investment.”
Noting that at present, the UK has global trading commitments established via the EU, Fox said these would remain in place after Brexit was completed. Noting that at present, the UK had global trading commitments established via the EU, Fox said these would remain in place after Brexit was completed.
“There will be no legal vacuum,” he said. “But this will not stop us pursuing a more liberalised trade agenda. As I have said, the decision of the British people to leave the EU is not symptomatic of looking inwards but a people who want to take more control over our laws, our money and our borders.”“There will be no legal vacuum,” he said. “But this will not stop us pursuing a more liberalised trade agenda. As I have said, the decision of the British people to leave the EU is not symptomatic of looking inwards but a people who want to take more control over our laws, our money and our borders.”
Amid globalisation, the UK must be “free to help shape an even more transparent, more open and more liberal trading environment”, he argued.Amid globalisation, the UK must be “free to help shape an even more transparent, more open and more liberal trading environment”, he argued.
Fox’s address was briefed in advance to newspapers at the weekend as a “major” speech which would help begin to outline the UK’s trading position in the wake of leaving the EU. Fox’s address was briefed in advance to newspapers at the weekend as a “major” speech that would help begin to outline the UK’s trading position in the wake of leaving the EU.
However, political opponents said the the trade secretary, who attracted criticism earlier this month for describing UK businesses as “lazy and too fat”, had said nothing of any real note. However, political opponents said the trade secretary, who attracted criticism earlier this month for describing UK businesses as “lazy and too fat”, had said nothing of any real note.
Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the contrast between the briefings and the actuality meant Fox was confusing businesses “by sending mixed messages about our membership of the single market”.Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said the contrast between the briefings and the actuality meant Fox was confusing businesses “by sending mixed messages about our membership of the single market”.
Farron added: “Clearly, Liam Fox is incapable of speaking for our government or country; he is a second-class cabinet minister enjoying first-class travel around the world.”Farron added: “Clearly, Liam Fox is incapable of speaking for our government or country; he is a second-class cabinet minister enjoying first-class travel around the world.”
Chuka Umunna, the Labour MP who chairs the Vote Leave Watch campaign aiming to scrutinise the Brexit process, said: “For Liam Fox to brief the Sunday papers that he would give a major announcement, before delivering bland platitudes today, showcases the total confusion at the heart of Government on this issue.” Chuka Umunna, the Labour MP who chairs the Vote Leave Watch campaign, which aims to scrutinise the Brexit process, said: “For Liam Fox to brief the Sunday papers that he would give a major announcement, before delivering bland platitudes today, showcases the total confusion at the heart of government on this issue.”
The tensions within the Conservatives as to whether Brexit should remove the UK from the single market were highlighted last week when the former chancellor, George Osborne, warned against a “take-it-or-leave-it bravado” in negotiations with the EU. Tensions within the Conservatives over whether Brexit should see the UK leave the single market were highlighted last week when the former chancellor George Osborne warned against a “take-it-or-leave-it bravado” in negotiations with the EU.
Theresa May has been at pains to prevent her ministers outlining potential visions of how Brexit might happen before the government forms a coherent plan.Theresa May has been at pains to prevent her ministers outlining potential visions of how Brexit might happen before the government forms a coherent plan.
Earlier this month Downing Street was quick to stress that a prediction by David Davis, the secretary of state for exiting the EU, that Britain was unlikely to remain in the single market was very much his own view.Earlier this month Downing Street was quick to stress that a prediction by David Davis, the secretary of state for exiting the EU, that Britain was unlikely to remain in the single market was very much his own view.
On Tuesday, the former pensions secretary and avowed Tory Brexiter, Iain Duncan Smith, dismissed Osborne’s argument that the 23 June referendum did not necessarily endorse a hard Brexit.On Tuesday, the former pensions secretary and avowed Tory Brexiter, Iain Duncan Smith, dismissed Osborne’s argument that the 23 June referendum did not necessarily endorse a hard Brexit.
Writing for the ConservativeHome website, Duncan Smith said Osborne was wrongly speaking as “the representative of the liberal mainstream majority”. Writing for the ConservativeHome website, Duncan Smith said Osborne was wrong to portray himself as “the representative of the liberal mainstream majority”.
He added: “After all, the British people voted to take back control of their borders, their money and their laws; that seems pretty mainstream to me.”He added: “After all, the British people voted to take back control of their borders, their money and their laws; that seems pretty mainstream to me.”