'It is UNACCEPTABLE' May urged to sack 'Remoaner' trade envoys who opposed Brexit
THERESA May is facing fresh demands to sack a group of “Remoaner” trade envoys who opposed triggering Brexit in Parliament.
Theresa May: Britain will SIEZE trade deals with countries
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has added his voice to demands for five parliamentarians who are trade envoys appointed by the Prime Minister to be ditched from their roles.
It follows revelations in the Daily Express that Labour MP Rushanara Ali, Labour peers Lord Faulkner of Worcester and Lord Hollick, and Lib Dem peers Baroness Bonham-Carter and Baroness Northover all voted against triggering Article 50 because they oppose Brexit.
Their continued presence as trade envoys when the UK needs to be promoting the benefits of Brexit Britain to the rest of the world have also reportedly angered ministers.
We should act immediately – we haven’t a moment to lose
One minister reportedly accused them of “talking our country down”.
Mr Duncan Smith, a leading Brexit campaigner, described the situation as “unacceptable”.
He said: “It is quite absurd that at the moment the UK leaves the EU and starts to make new free trade deals, we should have as our trade representatives people who are viscerally opposed to Brexit.
“It is quite unacceptable and high time we appointed new people who believe that what we are doing is positive and full of new opportunity. We should act immediately – we haven’t a moment to lose.”
Ms Ali is a trade envoy to Bangladesh, Lord Hollick to Tanzania and Kenya, Lord Faulkner to Taiwan, Baroness Northover to Angola and Baroness Bonham Carter to Mexico.
The row broke out as Brexit Britain received a boost with a new agreement with Turkey forming the basis of a future trade deal.
The agreement to co-finance projects and contracts was concluded between UK Export Finance - the government agency providing credit and support to British exporters - and its Turkish counterpart.
They will work together to identify and promote UK-Turkey trade, support exporters in each other's countries and co-finance projects in other nations to help their companies secure major global contracts.
UK Export Finance is also doubling support for British exports to Turkey and for Turkish investors buying UK goods and services, to £3.5billion.
International Trade Minister Greg Hands commented: "This partnership is a boost to our trading relationship and businesses in both countries.
"Working with Turkey to secure contracts for UK and Turkish exporters, and increasing our support for UK businesses trading with Turkey, will open new opportunities, not only in Turkey, but across the world."
Trade between the UK and Turkey was worth £11.9billion in 2016, up 70 per cent since 2009.