Next PM must put free trade at the centre of the global stage
At the end of the G20 gathering in Buenos Aires last year, the traditional end-of-summit communique signed by the world leaders dropped the previous year’s language calling for protectionism to be resisted.
The pledge to back free trade was sliced out after pressure from the US administration which remains locked in a tariff war with China.
As the leaders of the world’s 20 major economies end their two-day summit in Japan, all eyes will be on this year’s missive to see if once again the free trade promise is absent.
It is a stark reminder of the volatile political climate cloakingthe world stage, where previously accepted practices and institutions are being challenged.
On to this stage the next UK Prime Minister will walk within a month. Both contenders have tread the diplomatic boards before, as the current foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt takes on his immediate predecessor, Boris Johnson.
It goes without saying the two men carried out their duties as the UK’s chief diplomat with very different styles. Johnson’s approach mimicked his hair style: messy, unpredictable, deserving of more attention; while Hunt – barring comparing the EU to the Soviet Union – has tried to bring a more sober tone to the role.
These personas will of course be carried through into Downing Street, and with it concerns over whether either candidate will be able to hold their own in a room containing Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.
Johnson will need to resist the urge to play to the gallery here in the UK, and let a few gags at the expense of foreign leaders fall by the wayside if he wants to be taken seriously.
Hunt has almost the opposite problem. Moving from a supporting role to lead actor means he will have to ensure his understated personality is not overshadowed by other larger-than-life characters.
While the style of the men is different, the end goal should be the same: promoting free trade and breaking down barriers.
The UK’s departure from the EU will only truly be a success if it delivers economically for the people of Britain, and that means a drive for more free trade and greater liberalisation, not a retreat into protectionism.
Whoever delivers that will deserve the applause.