Very much agree with what's in the piece, especially on comms and bringing Parliament and stakeholders with the government. A crucial point not included - the need for realistic negotiating positions.
Sunday Times also reporting possible merger between Business and Trade departments (you could even call it the Department for Trade and Industry...) which would make sense given how much of trade is actually regulatory. But would be big upheaval ahead of talks...
I wrote back in April 2018 about what we need in place for successful trade negotiations - consensus, clarity, transparency, fairness, future focus, implementation plan. Didn't happen to now, but perhaps for phase 2...
ecipe.org/publications/a…
ecipe.org/publications/a…
Core problem - trade off between rule taking and trade access - will not go away. Cabinet, media, MPs etc need some awareness training of what trade deals actually are - clue, setting the rules for a trading relationship where bigger party has more say
Worth adding that one obvious UK vulnerability going forward is those many voters who want to see more domestic protection (state aid, procurement, labour market) which are exactly the sort of things discussed in trade policy. Suspect particularly among Labour to Tory switchers.
Also we have yet to see which UK sectors get well enough organised to benefit or at least not be the losers from the UK EU future relationship and other trade deals. Remembering government has to prioritise some over others in trade deals.
