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Liam Fox is right to say that Article 24 of GATT is what can release the requirement to treat all countries equally in trade policy, IF you have a free trade agreement in respect of a particular trading partner. BUT 1/9
The effective agreement can be very short form, even by exchange of letters or just joint notification to the WTO of the intention to keep "preferring" each other's trade on terms that give similar customs effect to those while in the EU for example, at least for goods. 2/9
The point is that such short form agreement / preference could be reached in a matter of weeks if the political will were there. The EU may make such an agreement - it is NOT obliged by the WTO not to as some have wrongly suggested. 3/9
If the agreement were kept simple and did not include matters like ISDS and investment, the ECJ has judged that such type of preferential agreement would not require EU member state approval, meaning the lengthy part of normal FTA process could be avoided for the time being. 4/9
Hence it could be realistically used as a stopgap measure to avoid the absurd situation of having to charge tariffs on each while the full advanced FTA between EU and UK were negotiated. Protocol on Ireland would be a key side agreement. 5/9
This does not mean we should not prepare for the possibility the EU might not agree even though such a measure would be of great benefit to the EU and its citizens. They might not. By planning fully for that hopefully we could avoid it however. 6/9
Whatever happens UK Government must stand foursquare behind business and communities who might need to adapt, and give early and clear guidance both as to what they have to do and the overwhelming degree of support they will get. T May's most important failure was not to. 7/9
With new leadership focused on this positive approach, untainted by the failure of the outgoing Cabinet to make the right decisions, preparations and offers, we can provide the reassurance people need and get a constructive and realistic relationship with the EU under way. 8/9
The EU have to understand we are serious, and there is only one candidate in the party ballot who can provide the right convincing leadership on this issue so that they do. His name is @BorisJohnson /END
