Does the UK have a trade strategy yet?
In our report Taking back control of trade policy, the Institute argued that the government needed a clear trade strategy. So far, the government\u2019s main goal appears to be to strike as many deals as it can. But recent disagreements in cabinet over whether to open UK markets to Australian agricultural produce, and whether UK farmers will be able to compete, suggest that the government is still struggling to make the necessary trade-offs. This panel examined whether the UK has a trade policy, and if so, what it hopes to achieve.\n\nTo discuss these issues, we were joined by:\n\nMartin Bell, Deputy Director of Trade at the Scotch Whisky Association\nAnna Isaac, Incoming Economics Editor at The Independent\nGraham Stuart MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Exports) at the Department for International Trade\nEmily Thornberry MP, Shadow International Trade Secretary\nNick von Westenholz, Director of Trade and Business Strategy at the National Farmers Union\n\nThe event was chaired by James Kane, Associate at the Institute for Government.