In a barrage of trade announcements today, the UK has launched FTA negotiations with both Australia and New Zealand. Aussie PM Scot Morrison today said that a deal could be signed and delivered by the end of the year. On top of this, Truss has announced a substantial update to the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership – a free trade area of 11 countries including Canada, Mexico, Chile, Australia, and Japan. DIT has had a lot on its hands…

Since July 2018, the UK has now “engaged with all 11 member countries at both ministerial and official level to explore UK accession to CPTPP” with all CPTPP members having “welcomed the UK’s interest in accession.” It’s looking more and more likely that the UK will join this true global free trade area – which upon accession will have a combined GDP equal to the EU yet without Brussels’ political control. Remainers must be heartbroken in their disappointment…