Sack treacherous envoys, May urged

THERESA MAY is facing calls from her own ministers to sack government trade envoys who have opposed her plans for Brexit amid accusations that they are “talking Britain down” as it leaves the EU.

Six of Britain’s 21 trade envoys have defied the Government in key votes over Brexit, including one who suggested that people who voted to Leave are “little Englanders”.

Eurosceptic ministers joined Iain Duncan Smith, the MP and former Conservative leader, in calling for them to be axed for “being opposed to Brexit”. One minister told The Daily Telegraph: “At a time when we are trying to build a global Britain, having people who don’t believe in the nation’s future outside the European Union is not at all in the national interest.

“These people should be championing Britain abroad, not damaging its prospects by talking it down.”

Mr Duncan Smith told the Brexitcentral website: “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.” Trade envoys are appointed by the Government to promote Britain in 50 markets around the world. They are not paid for the role although their expenses are covered.

They include Rushanara Ali, a Labour MP and trade envoy for Bangladesh who voted against triggering Article 50 and formally starting the process of leaving the EU.

In the Lords, Baroness Bonhamcarter of Yarnbury and Baroness Northover, two Liberal Democrat peers who serve as trade envoys, supported amendments opposing the Government’s plans for Brexit. Baroness Northover previously described people who voted for Brexit as “the voice of little England”.

Lord Faulkner of Worcester and Lord Hollick of Notting Hill, two Labour peers who serve as trade envoys, opposed the Government along with Lord Janvrin, a cross-bench peer.

A government spokesman defended the envoy programme and said they brought a “wealth of experience” to the table to help British businesses succeed internationally. The envoys were either unavailable to comment or declined to do so. A Lib Dem spokesman said: “Liberal Democrats always talk up Britain when seeking to promote trade in foreign countries.

“There is nothing patriotic about trying to yank Britain out of the world’s most lucrative market without a single trade deal in place to replace it.”

It came as it emerged that Tory rebels are threatening to side with Labour in a bid to keep Britain in the Single Market and Customs Union after Brexit. Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, is planning to table an amendment to ensure Britain keeps “the same basic terms” during a transition period after leaving the EU.