There’s been a lot of curiosity about the precise impact of prime ministers on trade negotiations following the appointment of Tony Abbott to the United Kingdom’s Board of Trade.

The UK’s Board of Trade is a long-standing body and indeed, was once led by Winston Churchill. It was revived by prime minister Theresa May in the lead-up to the 2017 election, which she narrowly won. The intention was to build a board of leading business and political figures, to spruik the UK in trade delegations around the world.