NEW:
At least a third of MPs appointed as Prime ministerial trade envoys voting against PM’s EU Withdrawal Deal.. some contacted Sky News after ydays PM interview to say “no trade deals until we fully exit the customs union...” that the trade agreement theyre working on “on hold”
At least a third of MPs appointed as Prime ministerial trade envoys voting against PM’s EU Withdrawal Deal.. some contacted Sky News after ydays PM interview to say “no trade deals until we fully exit the customs union...” that the trade agreement theyre working on “on hold”
That envoy said the PM was being “very disingenuous” about being able to do trade deals that were being prepared for April: “I will need to make lots of calls saying sorry let’s put the trade agreement on hold, in a waiting room for 3/4 years. not a good look for Global Britain”
.. another of PM’s personal trade envoys @timloughton told me some trade partners “led up the garden path” - “For some trade envoys who have spent a lot of time to promote trade deals, which will now be affected by staying in existing tariff rates, this is very frustrating”
Here is a transcript of the relevant part of the interview I did with the PM which prompted the contact from one of her rather annoyed trade envoys. I asked how she could do trade deals if tied to customs union in backstop... 
Government source: “Well they can’t bring into effect trade deals until the end of the implementation phase, as we know...”
Worth noting @rehman_chisti already resigned as the PM’s trade envoy to Pakistan because of Withdrawal Agreement and Asia Bibi asylum issue.... so only half of 22 MP personal Prime ministerial trade envoys publicly back the deal. 7 (8 including Chisti) against, others not public
