Brexit Britain’s international trade gets a ‘Beefy Boost’ from Lord Botham
From ‘Beefy Botham’ down under, to Greg Hands in the US, Brexit Britain is boosting trade
Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2022
Lord Ian Botham tells how good it is to be promoting the UK as trade envoy
Given all the negative coverage recently about the UK-Australia free trade agreement, Facts4EU.Org and CIBUK.Org decided to reach out to a man who should know – ‘Beefy’ Botham, a.k.a. Lord Botham, UK Trade Envoy to Australia who is ‘down under’ on a week’s tour to boost the prospects for growing trade with our key Commonwealth partner.
We also look at the simultaneous visit of the UK’s Trade Minister, the Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, to a number of US states to drum up business there.
Ebullient Brexiteer Botham bats for Brexit Britain
A staunch campaigner for Brexit, on 23 August last year (2021) Lord Ian Botham was appointed by former PM Boris Johnson as the UK's Trade Envoy to Australia.
On Monday Lord Botham (‘Beefy’ to his friends) embarked on a week-long tour to promote British business in Australia, ahead of the ratification by the UK Parliament of the new UK-Australia free trade agreement. From Brisbane, to Moreton Bay, to Newcastle, to Sydney, he is meeting with contacts from politics, business and industry groups to boost trade links at every level.
Brexit Britain’s international trade gets a ‘Beefy Boost’!
Facts4EU.Org called the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) in Australia overnight and the enthusiasm there is infectious.
“This is an exciting time to be back on the ground in Australia, meeting fantastic people and companies working to promote trade and investment between Australia and the UK. There are so many opportunities here - from sports economy to defence - and I’m delighted to be continuing my work to boost British business across Australia.”
- Lord Botham, UK Trade Envoy to Australia
“It’s an exciting time to host Lord Ian Botham, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Australia. We have huge momentum with the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement due to enter into force early next year and CPTPP negotiations progressing. If you are a British company looking to expand then come to Australia!”
- Louise Cantillon, British Consul General and Deputy Trade Commissioner Asia Pacific
About Trade Envoys
Trade Envoys are unpaid and voluntary roles created by former PM Boris Johnson to boost British business in key markets. The UK’s relationship with Australia is a top priority and this is evident from the signing of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement in December 2021.
At the same time, Brexit Britain is continuing to hit the US, state-by-state
The momentum is building across the globe. While Lord Botham is drumming up trade for Brexit Britain in Australia, UK Trade Minister the Rt Hon Greg Hands has just started a multi-state tour of the US to boost trade and investment ties with individual states.
Starting in Columbia, South Carolina, he will sign the UK’s third trade Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a US state, following the signatures of Indiana and North Carolina earlier in the year. The MoU will bolster the UK’s trading partnership with South Carolina, which bought £1.4bn of goods from the UK last year.
Greg Hands will cover a total of three states in four days. In Utah, he will continue discussions on an MoU with a view to signing early next year. Then there is California….
California’s economy is larger than 19 EU countries combined
The Trade Minister’s tour includes the largest US state economy of California, which covers around 15% of US GDP and therefore represents enormous opportunities for UK businesses.
To put this into a European context, the GDP of California alone is bigger than 19 of the EU27 countries COMBINED. It is larger than the combined economies of Malta, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Croatia, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Slovak Republic, Hungary, Greece, Portugal, Finland, Czech Republic, Romania, Denmark, Austria, and Ireland.
In fact, if California were a member of the EU this one American State would be the second-largest economy, after Germany.
Minister of State for Trade Policy Greg Hands said:
“These MoUs with US states can cover areas vital to the UK, from tech and renewable energy to financial and professional services. We’re engaging with the US at every level – federal, state and local – to increase opportunities for UK businesses.
“Whether it’s successfully securing an expansive removal of Section 232 tariffs on imports of UK steel and aluminium into the US, signing MoUs with individual states or seeking recognition of professional qualifications, the UK is focused on delivering for British businesses and consumers.”
- Minister of State for Trade Policy, the Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, Wed 07 Dec 2022
Observations
With so much negative news about the UK and its trade prospects, Facts4EU.Org once again provides a positive report to counter the misery from the BBC and Sky News.
From Australia to the US, we have shown how the UK is reaching out globally in a way that simply was not possible while we were a member of the EU. For those who constantly ask "Where are the Brexit benefits?" here is yet another one.
And finally, anyone need a mid-week cheering-up?
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[ Sources: UK Foreign Office Australia (FCDO) | Department for International Trade Australia | British High Commission Canberra | British Consulate General Brisbane ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Wed 07 Dec 2022
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