Liam Fox boasted about a trade deal and got dragged – the only 11 reactions you need to read
As the UK has only 10 days to go before Brexit is scheduled to happen, we’d have expected to see at least agreements in principle on a number of the important trade deals the UK is expecting to cash in on, once it frees itself from the shackles of the EU. The Secretary of State for Trade, Dr Liam Fox, famously predicted how easy the Brexit deal would be, so it should have been a doddle for him.
Image: @ByDonkeys
However, shockingly to all of us, things haven’t been going that well, and Dr. Fox’ latest triumphant announcement has been a little underwhelming. This is the big achievement that prompted him to take to Twitter.
BREAKING: Our negotiators have just initialled a trade agreement with Iceland & Norway for the European Economic Area. This is the 2nd biggest agreement we're rolling over and trade with EEA is worth nearly £30bn. This is on top of the agreement we’ve signed with Liechtenstein.
— Dr Liam Fox MP (@LiamFox) March 18, 2019
These were not the reactions he was looking for.
1.
Now I’m depressed. I will never write anything as funny as ‘This is on top of the agreement we’ve signed with Liechtenstein.’ https://t.co/8DtkHXehqA
— Damien Owens (@OwensDamien) March 18, 2019
2.
STOP THE PRESS: After Brexit we can continue trading with Iceland (population 338,000), Liechtenstein (population 37,000) and Norway (population 5 million) – all of which are already trading partners. This changes everything. https://t.co/do1Z6HuNTa
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 18, 2019
3.
BREAKING: Liam Fox. https://t.co/bmqY4tsep0
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) March 18, 2019
4.
Breaking news everyone. The UK has struck a trade deal with Iceland. The er… 144th largest economy in the world! On…. um… less advantageous terms than the one we've got already. https://t.co/tzyM8dow3F
— Otto English (@Otto_English) March 19, 2019
5.
We’ve signed an agreement with Lichtenstein, which has a population of 38,000.
What’s next, deal with Dundee? https://t.co/Fx08bI1bVD
— Jon S. Baird (@jonsbaird) March 18, 2019
6.
Wow! Really! Liechtenstein, you say? Fuck me, should I buy fleet of Rolls Royces now or what, you fraudulent fucking tit. https://t.co/BT8L6QfWHw
— Nick Pettigrew (@Nick_Pettigrew) March 18, 2019
7.
Iceland: population 338,349
Liechtenstein: population 37,810
You've basically enabled trade with a customer base smaller than an average UK city…
What next – an Ebay shop? Brexit car boot sales?
Laughable that you still have a job! https://t.co/ONFr5HFla9— The Prole Star (@TheProleStar) March 18, 2019
8.
Liechtenstein? Lots of nice private banks.
And 51% of the work force commute daily from Austria and Switzerland.
How is that helpful and to whom? Please? https://t.co/zNm9PtI5uA— Emma Fielding (@emmagafielding) March 18, 2019
9.
That’s a victory is it? Rolling over (not improving) agreements we already had with several tiny countries whilst leaving the biggest single market in the world? Righto.
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) March 18, 2019
10.
well done on signing a trade agreement with one of the least populated countries on the planet, with a GDP about 0.01% of the global economy. we are all absolutely thrilled.
— Hannah Jane Parkinson (@ladyhaja) March 19, 2019
11.
Great, now all the big hitters are in the bag then Narnia must be next
— Johnfromsoho (@johnfromsoho) March 18, 2019
As well as the inauspicious nature of the announcement, it didn’t even tell the whole story.
Norwegian media reports that the agreement of today only covers tariffs in the event of no deal. That is very far from a roll-over of the current EEA arrangement, which includes services, capital, non-tariff barriers etc. https://t.co/dpHY8tCjzj
— Stig Eidissen (@stigeidi) March 18, 2019
Looks like someone’s after the Chris Grayling Crown of Competence.