Liam Fox is on another foreign junket, nearly six years after he was forced to resign because he had been bringing his friend Adam Werrity with him, financed by firms that could have profited from government decisions.
Here’s an interesting press release from the minority Tory government:
“International Trade Secretary and President of the Board of Trade, The Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP, will travel to Washington to launch the first trade and investment working group meeting on Monday 24 July with US Trade Representative, Ambassador Lighthizer.”
Notice the wording? “Trade and investment” working group meeting. Remember TTIP – the Transatlantic “Trade and Investment” Partnership? The proposed agreement between the US and EU was vetoed after protests that it would harm workers’ and consumers’ rights, reduce the quality of goods to the lowest common denominator, give corporations power to sue governments if legislation harms their profits, and – in the UK – seal the privatisation of the National Health Service irretrievably.
“The working group is dedicated to strengthening the bilateral trade and investment relationship, building on strong foundations and meeting the shared ambition of both the Prime Minister and President Trump when they met earlier this year.”
That’s a shared ambition to impose on the people of the UK all the diabolical conditions I’ve just listed, above.
“Discussions are expected to focus on providing certainty, continuity and increasing confidence for UK and US businesses as the UK leaves the EU and explore ways to strengthen our trade and commercial ties ahead of exit, consistent with our EU membership obligations.”
That’s simple. All Dr Fox has to say is, “The UK will honour its existing agreements with the US, including those made as a member state of the EU, and looks forward to establishing new agreements on our own terms.”
“Whilst the UK cannot conclude a free trade agreement ahead of leaving the EU, the group will provide the mechanism for preparing the ground for a potential free trade agreement once the UK has left.”
If it’s anything like the Brexit negotiations, Dr Fox will offer the US negotiator anything he wants, with nothing in return.
“International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox MP said:
The first meeting of the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group is the start of the next chapter in our special relationship.
Although it’s too early to say exactly what would be covered in a potential deal, the working group is the means to ensure we get to know each other’s issues and identify areas where we can work together to strengthen trade and investment ties.
Our work as an international economic department has never been more important and our exit from the European Union offers an unprecedented opportunity to reshape our independent trading ambitions and build on the already strong trading relationship with our single largest trading partner – the US.
The trip will also include meetings in Mexico, to explore the UK’s trading links with that country.
So, a nice little junket, then!
One cannot help but recall that Dr Fox resigned as a Cabinet member in 2011, after it turned out he had been taking his friend Adam Werrity on foreign trips, and Mr Werrity’s costs had been subsidised by firms likely to benefit from government decisions.
One wonders where Mr Werrity is today; what businesses stand to benefit from the talks; and whether they have any involvement.
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If anything, this will be worse than the original TTIP, especially under a Tory government who actually want the things the EU balked at. If TTIP had gone ahead with the EU, while we were a member, we would at least have had a bit of strength behind us in support against unfair actions from the US. Our own wee island hasn’t a chance. We should prepare for 3rd World conditions.
This is a bad sign. Memories of “The Atlantic Bridge” spring to mind as do the prospects of chorine washed chicken, beef, pork and chicken stuffed with antibiotics and growth hormones, and GM foods not labelled as such. British organic will be the only way to go, but only if you can afford it!
Chlorine-washed chicken is right back on Liam Fox’s menu – as I’m sure you’ll have seen if you’ve watched the news!
Adam is busy and Liam is never far from his thoughts:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4594618/Adam-Werritty-asks-money-fund-Advent-calendar.html
This is what has been worrying me about brexit all along, but very little has been said about it . we know the cons want their cheap but toxic food, privatised NHS etc, but what are labours plans for US trade?
We have been a star on there flag for years now we can see the big sale of what is left
The US Regulators are chock-a-block with pro-governance leadership that has links with being financially supported by the same industrys that they should be defending against such that robust legislation has been ignorned to the detriment of the population including the global markets.eg the Industry has effectively prevented any labelling of GM products because they are afraid no one would purchase it. It is bad enough the majority of our UK egg production flocks are being fed GM feed without any mention on the egg boxes and also the slaughtered chickens the same.Only genuine organic eggs and chicken are reasonably safe from GM contamination. Pharma and vaccines and chemical poisons are also suspected of being given soft rides when it comes to regulation which beg the question why would the UK want to get involved with importing products that are not properly regulated or controlled. Sounds and feels like King and by default Trump and his corporate buddies can see a strategic quick opportunity to make a quick buck.
Need we say anymore: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/oct/15/liam-fox-atlantic-bridge
The British people need to wake up fast and realise that not only are they selling the ground from beneath our feet but our futures as well.