Tuesday, January 02, 2018
Brexit outfoxed on trade deals
Another day, yet another Brexit myth shattered. This time it is the idea that once we leave the EU people are going to be queuing up to sign trade deals with us.
The Mirror reports on the fruitless quest of the UK's International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox who, they say has flown around the world eight times trying to line people up to sign on the dotted line.
They say that Fox has clocked up 219,000 air miles in just 18 months, jetting to 27 countries and every continent except Antarctica. His travel bill is now estimated to have topped £100,000 - despite him being unlikely to be able to sign any official trade deals before 2021. They add that between July and December 2016, he ran up a bill of £37,345 and in the first half of 2017 that increased to £52,198:
Dr Fox has been to the US four times and to Geneva four times, according to The Times. In his first six months he flew 54,000 miles, including to the Indian cities of Mumbai and Pune. In his second six months, he flew 65,000 miles, including to Hong Kong, Toronto and Manila. And in the last six months he flew 101,000 miles, including to Mexico City, Tokyo and Sydney.
It is a high price to pay with so little reward to show for all that effort.
The Mirror reports on the fruitless quest of the UK's International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox who, they say has flown around the world eight times trying to line people up to sign on the dotted line.
They say that Fox has clocked up 219,000 air miles in just 18 months, jetting to 27 countries and every continent except Antarctica. His travel bill is now estimated to have topped £100,000 - despite him being unlikely to be able to sign any official trade deals before 2021. They add that between July and December 2016, he ran up a bill of £37,345 and in the first half of 2017 that increased to £52,198:
Dr Fox has been to the US four times and to Geneva four times, according to The Times. In his first six months he flew 54,000 miles, including to the Indian cities of Mumbai and Pune. In his second six months, he flew 65,000 miles, including to Hong Kong, Toronto and Manila. And in the last six months he flew 101,000 miles, including to Mexico City, Tokyo and Sydney.
It is a high price to pay with so little reward to show for all that effort.
