
Stephen Booth: The main benefits of joining this Pacific trade partnership would be strategic
Future deals will be important but they should be viewed as a means to an end rather than an end in of themselves
Future deals will be important but they should be viewed as a means to an end rather than an end in of themselves
If it were the critical factor, Belgium should have been superbly prepared for the pandemic. Alas, it was not.
The Government must develop a Counter Pandemic Border Strategy (CPBS) to manage the second and subsequent waves of the virus.
The CPTPP is preferable to the EU because it elevates mutual recognition over harmonisation.
It’s striking that the countries that did best during Covid are those, like Taiwan and South Korea, which live under threat of annihilation by their neighbours.
There’s huge scope to enhance the City, and the British economy – especially if we learn the right lessons from Thatcher-era reforms.
We have now secured 97 per cent of the trade value that we set out to reach agreements for first, beyond the EU. And there’s more to come.
Furthermore, increasing global tensions make improving our defence capabilities essential.
The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy gives us the chance to act coherently and effectively.
As a leading digital economy with new control over its trade policy, Britain is uniquely placed to help shape global rules in this emerging arena.
The crux of the trade negotiations is to what degree we’re prepared to do this – in return for a high-quality agreement on trade in services, data and investment.
This renaissance could place the UK at the vanguard of the most industries and technologies over the coming decades.
Singapore, Australia and other countries experienced difficulties; the important thing is learning from these and improving matters.
This sector is hugely important to the UK economy, accounting for many jobs, as well as boosting trade. The Government must help it in these troubled times.
While the Government has been focussed on “levelling up” and other domestic issues, it’s time to consider the UK’s position on the world stage.