The sun is unexpectedly shining from a clear blue sky as I arrive at Holyrood. I’m wearing my finest business suit and bowler hat, and I’m standing outside the Scottish parliament. With me are Liam Fox, Theresa May, Donald Trump, and UK trade minister George Hollingbery. But I’m not here to discuss investments or tax breaks. There’s something more important at stake.
An amendment by Caroline Lucas MP (NC3) to give parliament control of post-Brexit trade deals was defeated by 30 votes in the House of Commons this afternoon as MPs debated the Trade Bill. Other amendments to give devolved administrations statutory powers over trade were also defeated before the Trade Bill debate moved on to discuss the customs unions
Campaign groups Global Justice Now and War on Want have condemned Liam Fox’s transparency concessions on the Trade Bill ahead of tomorrow’s Third Reading as inadequate, following Liam Fox’s statement to parliament this afternoon.
Few people noticed but parliament just made a big mistake on trade. On Tuesday, MPs passed a motion in support of CETA – the EU-Canada trade agreement.
When Liam Fox introduced his Trade Bill last Autumn, he must have hoped it would clear parliament in a couple of months, and by now he would be busy mapping out the shape of Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with the world.
The UK government's flagship Trade Bill is in crisis, after the parliamentary process was reportedly postponed until May over fears that the government will be defeated on amendments to stay in a European customs union.
Liam Fox’s Trade Bill is nearing the end of its time in the House of Commons, and so far our efforts to amend it have been frustrated. But there's a long way to go.
This is just the start. Over the next few weeks we will work with politicians of all parties to get this Bill amended and make sure parliament has control of trade policy after Brexit.
The sun is unexpectedly shining from a clear blue sky as I arrive at Holyrood. I’m wearing my finest business suit and bowler hat, and I’m standing outside the Scottish parliament. With me are Liam Fox, Theresa May, Donald Trump, and UK trade minister George Hollingbery. But I’m not here to discuss investments or tax breaks. There’s something more important at stake.
Few people noticed but parliament just made a big mistake on trade. On Tuesday, MPs passed a motion in support of CETA – the EU-Canada trade agreement.
When Liam Fox introduced his Trade Bill last Autumn, he must have hoped it would clear parliament in a couple of months, and by now he would be busy mapping out the shape of Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with the world.
Liam Fox’s Trade Bill is nearing the end of its time in the House of Commons, and so far our efforts to amend it have been frustrated. But there's a long way to go.
I started yesterday presenting evidence to parliament’s international trade committee, and I finished it by having my accreditation to next week’s WTO summit withdrawn. Both events relate to the same issue: the lack of power we as citizens have over trade policy.
Liam Fox must be a very fast reader. Superhuman in fact. Because just hours after the ‘consultation’ on the trade white paper closed, the government proposed a new Trade Bill.
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An amendment by Caroline Lucas MP (NC3) to give parliament control of post-Brexit trade deals was defeated by 30 votes in the House of Commons this afternoon as MPs debated the Trade Bill. Other amendments to give devolved administrations statutory powers over trade were also defeated before the Trade Bill debate moved on to discuss the customs unions
Campaign groups Global Justice Now and War on Want have condemned Liam Fox’s transparency concessions on the Trade Bill ahead of tomorrow’s Third Reading as inadequate, following Liam Fox’s statement to parliament this afternoon.
