Thread by @rcolvile

There’s still time to join us at the Guildhall for #mtc21 but if you can’t make it you can watch on YouTube across the day, starting with @annietrev’s opening keynote on Britain’s new trade strategy. I’ll be tweeting the highlights…

.@annietrev pays tribute to Thatcher’s optimism, dynamism and clarity of purpose in liberalising trade - and says we need to set out how we will do the same

Citing her previous job in energy, argues that green innovation can deliver £170bn in exports by 2030

Strong focus on services and Indo-Pacific - cites potential for more than 2 billion new middle class consumers

‘For the first time in more than 50 years, we don’t have to wait for the EU’s ‘computer says no’ bureaucracy’

Up next is Alan Wolff, deputy DG of the WTO until earlier this year, who argues forcefully for the UK’s role as a force for good in international trade.

Now for our first all-star panel - chaired by Creon Butler with Crawford Falconer, Lord Mandelson, Ambassador Susan Schwab & Shanker Singham

Up next: CPTPP and beyond, chaired by Lord Strathclyde with George Brandis, Stephanie Beck, Philip Bouverat and Anthony Mangnall (who is working on this with @CPSThinkTank)

.@HonTonyAbbott delivering his video keynote: ‘Do not underestimate yourselves and do not underestimate your weight in the world’

Our third panel on services trade: @ccrosswell chairs with @City_McGuinness, @KingEconomist, @SoumayaKeynes & @RebeccaAHarding. Reminder: you can watch live via link at top of thread

Into the home strait now - @FraserNelson, @vincecable and @DanielJHannan discussing the politics of trade

And our final keynote is @DavidGHFrost - pointing out that our form of Brexit does allow us to control our own trade policy, and going back ‘can’t be right’

Striking language on freedom of speech and debate alongside his promotion of free trade and post-Brexit opportunities.

Praises the private sector and argues that we haven’t rolled back the frontiers of the EU just to import its social model - hence need for divergence and improved regulation