Letwin: UK trade experts all working for the EU

THE UK does not have its own trade negotiators because they are all working for the European Union, the sacked minister who was due to lead the Government’s Brexit unit has suggested.

Oliver Letwin, the former chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who was axed as part of Theresa May’s Cabinet shake-up, was appointed by David Cameron to be the architect of the UK’s negotiations with the EU.

He has now been replaced in that role by David Davis, who has been appointed Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

One of the key tasks faced by Mr Davis, along with Liam Fox, the newly appointed International Trade Secretary, will be to negotiate trade deals with the world.

But Mr Letwin painted a grim picture of the challenges they face after he was asked on Radio 4’s Today programme how many trade negotiators the UK has.

He said: “The trade negotiators who are Brits, at the moment are basically working for the EU.”

Mr Letwin was then asked again exactly how many.

He said: “Quite a number... but they are employed there and it’s up to them obviously whether they are recruited into Whitehall.

“There are obviously very experienced trade negotiators elsewhere in the world as well.”

Mr Letwin was then asked if the UK has in fact got any of its own trade negotiators.

He said: “We don’t have trade negotiators because the trade negotiation has been going on in the EU. So we are going to have to hire a whole – David Davis is going to have to hire – group to deal with the EU negotiations and Liam Fox, of course, in what I think is an excellent plan of Theresa’s to create a new Department of International Trade.”

Boris Johnson could also play a role in negotiations with the EU as the newly appointed Foreign Secretary, and Mr Letwin said he believes Mr Johnson, Dr Fox and Mr Davis will be able to work well together.

He said: “Oh totally, yes. First of all, they are all three very talented individuals.

“Secondly, actually politicians are terribly grown up.”

Mr Letwin said the challenge of Brexit will see politicians “come together, work in the national interest and get things done”.