Lot of good and interesting points in this article on the performance of the Department for International Trade, but missing the crucial context - that we don't know what UK trade policy is for. Because we don't have a strategy. politico.eu/article/global…
What we have is UK trade activity, from promotion to defence, Free Trade Agreements, WTO, green trade - but no overall context for it. And that activity is now unravelling because of the lack of integrated strategy - e.g. trade and climate change / Australia FTA / precedent etc
What "strategic vision"? Saying free trade a few times while pursuing Free Trade Agreement providing limited benefits and putting up trade barriers to involvement in supply chains is not a vision.
Will wait for the speech, but with little expectation.
Will wait for the speech, but with little expectation.
So much wrong with this statement. Those who have argued against free trade most in the UK are the government, who have put up more trade barriers than any in modern history. And the outdated misconception that free trade and regulations are incompatible.
https://twitter.com/e_casalicchio/status/1437736731206463490
The real problem with UK trade policy is being run with such limited appreciation of trade or international political reality, because they are inconvenient to ideologues or the ambitious (you can judge which of these best fits Truss)
This is a really a quite staggeringly vacuous speech, a collection of random phrases assembled apparently at random, displaying absolutely no understanding of modern trade other that to say digital a few times. gov.uk/government/spe…
We should be offensive because that is better than being defensive, but we can be defensive as well if we want, though offence is the best form of defence. Or something.
But more likely nothing. A government minister who thinks saying free trade is enough of a policy.
But more likely nothing. A government minister who thinks saying free trade is enough of a policy.
Number of mentions of supply chains - 2. In context of disruptions, not of growing trade. Number of mentions of automotive / aerospace / universities, three huge export sectors - none.
Number of people who have said what is claimed here - also none, strangely enough.
Number of people who have said what is claimed here - also none, strangely enough.
Thank goodness there's a mention of the corn laws. At least we can rely on UK government ministers to know something of 19th century trade, probably more than they do of 21st century at least.
Some time ago I was asked to write about what UK trade strategy should be, one of those commissioned with a long lead time so I don't know if it will ever be published. Here's an excerpt, just to show there is a better way... hopefully the rest to follow in due course.
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