Speeches

Secretary of State for International Trade NFU conference speech

(Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

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Thank you, Minette.

It is great to be here to talk about the new doors this government is opening for farmers through free and fair trade.

No matter your skin colour, sexuality, religion or anything else, the United Kingdom is one of the best places in the world to live.

The British story has been driven from its earliest days by the desire for liberty, agency, and fairness. 

Thank you, Robin, and good afternoon everyone.

It is great to be here with you to talk about our value-generating and values-driven trade policy that will see the United Kingdom help lead the fight for free trade.

It gives me great pleasure today, to open formal trade talks between two of the world’s largest economies; the United Kingdom and Japan, and to do this in partnership with my esteemed colleague His Excellency Toshimitsu Motegi.

London – Today, the International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced the formal launch of trade agreement negotiations between the UK and the U.S.

The opening of formal trade talks between the United Kingdom and the United States is the beginning of something significant.

Thank you very much, it’s fantastic to be here this afternoon with so many brilliant women, from politics, from the lobby, and from Whitehall, who we are celebrating today.

Introduction

I am delighted to be the first Trade Secretary to represent the UK’s independent voice at an international meeting since Peter Walker, almost half a century ago.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered global Britain.

Thank you very much Emma Wade-Smith, HM Trade Commissioner for Africa and thank you very much too to the Lionesses of Africa for organising this fantastic evening. And congratulations on reaching the one million figure, it is really great to hear.