As MPs vote in favour of CETA, the EU-Canada trade deal, in parliament today [1], Molly Scott Cato, a long-time opponent of such trade deals, has questioned Liam Fox’s glowing praise for the deal [2]. She said:
“What bitter irony that Liam Fox is singing the praises of a trade deal with Canada that was negotiated through the EU. If EU trade deals with the rest of the world are so wonderful, why leave? After Brexit the UK will have to begin all over again in establishing such trade deals, and outside a block of 500 million consumers, it won’t have the leverage the EU has.
“But Liam Fox going weak at the knees over CETA should ring alarm bells. Like its failed counterpart, TTIP, this trade deal threatens to weaken social, health and environmental standards; our democracy and public services [3]. If this is the sort of trade deal that Liam Fox is championing post-Brexit we should all be very worried indeed.”
[1] https://twitter.com/HouseofCommons/status/1011605057161265152
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/opening-statement-for-ceta-ratification-debate
[3] http://www.globaljustice.org.uk/news/2018/jun/26/mps-must-defend-democracy-rejecting-ceta-today