Former Aussie PM handed trade role despite Tory revolt
Anger as ‘homophobic’ Abbott given key job
THE former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott was last night appointed as a British trade adviser amid claims he is homophobic and misogynistic.
Boris Johnson had defended Mr Abbott only hours before confirming his appointment to the Board of Trade.
Australia, where Mr Abbott was prime minister from 201315, is one of the nations with which the UK is conducting negotiations on post-Brexit trade agreements.
Reports of his expected appointment this week provoked an immediate backlash over his previous controversial comments, including climate-change scepticism and a belief that coronavirus restrictions should be lifted.
Even some Conservative MPs had opposed the appointment.
Caroline Nokes, Tory chairman of the women and equalities select committee, said before it was confirmed: ‘I just don’t think this is a man who should be anywhere near our Board of Trade.’
Describing the move as ‘awful’, she added: ‘Is he the sort of man I want to be representing us globally? No.’
Asked yesterday about claims that Mr Abbott, 62, is a sexist, homophobic, misogynistic, climate change denier, Mr Johnson said: ‘I don’t, obviously don’t agree with those sentiments at all, but then I don’t agree with everyone who serves the Government in an unpaid capacity on hundreds of boards across the country.
‘What I would say about Tony Abbott is this is a guy who was elected by the people of the great liberal democratic nation of Australia… That speaks for itself.’ The Department
for International Trade announced last night that London-born Mr Abbott – who moved to Australia when he was two years old – will form part of the Board of Trade in an unpaid role.
Trade Secretary Liz Truss said the board ‘will play an important role in helping Britain make the case for free and fair trade across the UK and around the world.
‘At a time of increased protectionism and global insecurity, it’s vital that the UK is a strong voice for open markets and that we play a meaningful role in reshaping global trading rules alongside likeminded countries.’
She added: ‘The new board will help us do that, bringing together a diverse group of people who share Britain’s belief in free enterprise, democracy and high standards and rules-based trade.’
Labour MP David Lammy immediately tweeted in response: ‘Earlier in the week the Government as much as admitted Tony Abbott is a homophobe and a misogynist. They just don’t care.’
Earlier prominent LGBT figures including Sir Ian McKellen signed an open letter alongside environmental activists to criticise Mr Abbott’s record, saying he ‘is not fit to be representing the UK’.
The letter said: ‘This is a man who described abortion as “the easy way out” and suggested that men may be “by physiology or temperament more adapted to exercise authority or to issue command”.’
It added that Mr Abbott ‘vigorously campaigned’ against Australia’s successful marriage equality referendum in 2017 and had said that climate change is ‘probably doing good’.
‘For all these reasons and more besides, this man is not fit to be representing the UK as our trade envoy,’ the letter added.
Mr Abbott has previously said he felt ‘a bit threatened’ by homosexuality and was accused of misogyny by fellow former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard.
But he has been defended by his lesbian sister Christine Forster.
She said in a Twitter post: ‘It is nothing short of dishonesty for commentators and politicians who do not know Tony to label him a “homophobe and a misogynist” for the purposes of scoring cheap political points.’
‘Reshape global trading rules’