{"id":122127,"date":"2023-12-14T17:39:36","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T17:39:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leviolonrouge.com\/?p=122127"},"modified":"2023-12-14T17:39:36","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T17:39:36","slug":"david-cameron-in-brexit-u-turn-as-he-admits-he-is-impressed-at-uks-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leviolonrouge.com\/politics\/david-cameron-in-brexit-u-turn-as-he-admits-he-is-impressed-at-uks-success\/","title":{"rendered":"David Cameron in Brexit U-turn as he admits he is impressed at UKs success"},"content":{"rendered":"
Lord David Cameron admitted he is “impressed” with Britain’s post-Brexit trade success.<\/p>\n
The new Foreign Secretary said there has been “a lot of very good work” in terms of free trade agreements.<\/p>\n
The former prime minister, who resigned after losing the 2016 Brexit referendum, added that he was “delighted” the UK joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Indo-Pacific trade bloc.<\/p>\n
In his first lengthy parliamentary grilling since his sensational political comeback, he told the Lords European Affairs Committee yesterday [THURS]: “If you leave the EU the key thing is to take advantage of the new situation you’re in.<\/p>\n
“We’re not in the customs union, we’re not in the single market, we’re making this partnership work.<\/p>\n
“As part of that arrangement we’re free to make these trade arrangements with the rest of the world.<\/p>\n
“I’m delighted that we’re doing CPTPP. We’ll be one of the largest players in this new emerging bloc. We can help shape, develop and grow it.<\/p>\n
“While currently it’s a small percentage of our trade, these are some of the fastest growing economies in the world.<\/p>\n
“I think we can do that consistent with our obligations under the withdrawal agreement and we can make that work and that’s what we should be doing.”<\/p>\n
The former leader of the Remain campaign insisted there is “no point leaving and not taking advantage of leaving”.<\/p>\n
“And that’s what we’re doing with things like that,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Obviously there’s a sort of capacity issue about how many trade deals we can do, how quickly. But again I’ve been impressed that actually there’s a lot of very good work that’s been done and we need to keep that up.”<\/p>\n
Lord Cameron said the “heat and anger” has come out of the UK’s relationship with the EU and that they can be “friends, neighbours and partners”.<\/p>\n
He said: “It’s been interesting coming back to see how it’s working and how problems are being fixed and opportunities are being taken.<\/p>\n
“I think a lot of the heat and anger has come out of the relationship. It’s now much more functional and I think it’s functioning well.”<\/p>\n
He warned against trying to reopen and “change the nature” of Britain’s post-Brexit trading agreement with Brussels.<\/p>\n
Lord Cameron said: “Let’s make the most of what we’ve got, I think is the way I would approach it. I don’t think trying to reopen it and change the nature of it is what we should be doing.<\/p>\n
“We’re not suddenly going to reopen free movement or go back into the customs union or any of those things. That is absolutely not what this is about.”<\/p>\n
He also denied Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill risks bringing the UK into conflict with its international obligations.<\/p>\n