Tony Abbott named as UK trade adviser despite criticism
Tony Abbott has officially been appointed Britain’s new trade adviser despite an onslaught of criticism on both sides of the aisle, which labelled the former PM as “a misogynistic homophobe”.
National
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Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is now officially appointed to a British government trade board after a week of controversy.
The British-born politician has returned to his roots to help Britain promote trade deals, which will be kickstarted across the globe following Brexit.
Mr Abbott’s appointment to the historic UK Board of Trade was announced early on Saturday morning Australian time.
Mr Johnson defended Mr Abbott on Friday (local time) after attacks from politicians, celebs and environmentalists calling him “homophobic” and misogynistic”.
Mr Johnson said that “I don’t agree with everyone who serves the government in an unpaid capacity”, but said he should not have to.
“What I would say about Tony Abbott is this is a guy who was elected by the people of the great liberal democratic nation of Australia,” he said.
“It’s an amazing country, it’s a freedom-loving country, it’s a liberal country. There you go, I think that speaks for itself.”
The new board, which will meet four times a year, will be pushing Britain’s global agenda as it tries to strike trade deals with the United States, Japan, New Zealand and Australia and then the rest of the world.
British International Trade Secretary Liz Truss stared down critics to announce Mr Abbott’s role.
“The new Board of Trade will play an important role in helping Britain make the case for free and fair trade across the UK and around the world,” she said.
“At a time of increased protectionism and global insecurity, it’s vital that the UK is a strong voice for open markets and that we play a meaningful role in reshaping global trading rules alongside like-minded countries.”
Mr Johnson signed off on the job, ignoring claims that Mr Abbott was a “homophobe” and “misogynist” and a climate change denier.
A London Evening Standard editorial dragged up quotes from 1979, and claimed that there were other former world leaders available for the job with less “primitive opinions”.
Mr Abbott remained silent as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon voiced their opposition to his appointment.
But his sister Christine Forster, who is gay, denied he was a homophobe and his former chief-of-staff Peta Credlin rejected that he was a misogynist in an interview on British radio.
Mr Abbott was granted permission to travel to the UK, where he met with British politicians, including Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, before the role was confirmed.
He had said through a spokesman that he paid for his trip privately, which included a stay at a luxury London hotel.
William Russell, the Mayor Of The City of London which covers the banking district, was also appointed to the board.
The Board of Trade members will not be directly involved in negotiating trade deals, but will rather be ambassadors.
The clarification of the role avoids a conflict of interest for Mr Abbott over any potential involvement in an Australia and UK trade deal.
A trade deal with Australia, which is already in advanced stages, was likely to include easier travel and work rights between both countries under normal circumstances.
Financial services were also likely to benefit, while Scotch whisky would become cheaper and British cars, including Range Rovers, may go down in price.
ABBOTT’S SISTER: TONY’S NOT A MISOGYNIST OR HOMOPHOBE
Mr Abbott’s sister Christine Forster has defended him against claims he was a homophobe, as debate raged over his appointment to the UK’s Board of Trade.
International Trade Secretary Liz Truss wants him in the job, which will promote Britain’s interests across the globe.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock was caught in an awkward interview on Sky News UK this week, when he was asked about Mr Abbott’s previous comments and labelled a “homophobe” and a “misogynist”.
Mr Hancock struggled during the car crash live cross, responding: “He is also an expert in trade. We need to have the best experts in the world … and as the former prime minister of Australia obviously Mr Abbott has got a huge amount of experience.”
Mr Hancock then pledged his support for LGBT communities.
“I bow to nobody in my support for everybody to love who they love, whoever that is.”
The former Australian Prime Minister has refused to respond to “personal abuse”.
But his sister Christine Forster said it was “nothing short of dishonesty for commentators and politicians who do not know Tony to label him a “homophobe and a misogynist” for the purposes of scoring cheap political points.”
“As a woman who has always been part of his life and who came out as gay in my early 40s, I know inconvertibly that Tony is neither of those things,” she said.
“Tony would be an outstanding trade envoy for the UK, based on his track record of delivering our three long-awaited and important trade deals with Japan, China and South Korea.”
Mr Abbott’s predecessor as prime minister, Julia Gillard refused to be drawn on whether Mr Abbott’s appointment should be blocked saying it was “a decision for the UK”, but pointed to her misogyny speech as to her views on him.
“I said all I needed to say about that back in October 2012 and that speech is still doing the rounds all these years later. I stand by every word of it but I don’t think that I need to add to it,” Ms Gillard said on Sky News UK. “I doubt I would be able to put it better in my life.”
Despite being lured several times to add to the criticism, Ms Gillard said: “I’ve been through too many kinds of experiences like these to be infuriated.”
Mr Abbott’s former chief of staff Peta Credlin also defended him as his tour of the UK drew towards a close.
“He was in parliament for 25 years. Every single one of his chiefs of staff were women. The guy’s got three sisters, a very strong, independent wife and three daughters. He’s not a misogynist,” she told UK Talk Radio.
And she added that Mr Abbott was not a homophobe, pointing out his support of Ms Forster.
“Just because you disagree on the definition of marriage doesn’t mean you’re a homophobe,” she said.
Mr Abbott was born in the UK but moved to Australia when he was two, but returned to study at Oxford.
He was spotted at famed pub, the Red Lion in Whitehall, earlier this week and met with Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.
News Corp Australia understands that Mr Abbott and Mr Farage met on Thursday morning UK time, but a spokesman for Mr Farage declined to reveal what they discussed.
However, hours later, Mr Farage tweeted an earlier zoom video the pair had done about “how Australia had stopped the boats”.
It came after Mr Abbott had met with British Home Secretary Priti Patel, who said it “was wonderful to catch up with the former Australian Prime Minister” in a tweet this week.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called on the British Government not to appoint Mr Abbott to the UK’s Board of Trade, which will be given a prominent role as the UK negotiates new trade deals after Brexit.
However, despite the opposition, Mr Abbott has support in the Conservatives circles, with International Trade Secretary Liz Truss rejecting Labour’s criticism.
“I think it’s absolute hypocrisy to hear this type of argument from the Labour Party,” she said.
“This is a party that has never elected a female leader despite having the opportunity time and time again.
“The reality is they’d rather virtue signal and indulge in tokenism rather than take real action to improve the lives of women.”
UK Trades Minister Guy Hands also backed Mr Abbott.
Mr Abbott also met with a number of other MPs during his visit to London, which he says was paid for privately.
His spokesman said: “Mr Abbott does not respond to personal abuse.”
Mr Abbott made a speech in London this week where he questioned whether lockdowns were too harsh.
Trade deals were negotiated through the European Union on behalf of the UK from 1975, but now the UK plans to leave the bloc to strike its own deals.
Brexit talks with the UK have stalled and it was likely to leave on December 31 without a deal, which will be an economic blow for the EU and the UK at a time when economies have crashed because of coronavirus.
‘A GOOD APPOINTMENT’
Mr Abbott is expected to sign on to the UK’s Board of Trade, which is working on new trade agreements around the world when Brexit becomes official at the end of the year.
It is understood that the role may mean Mr Abbott will have to travel to the UK, political sources said, at a time when Australia has flight bans in place due to coronavirus restrictions.
However, exemptions are being made for people approved to travel by the Australian government.
The Sun reported that Mr Johnson made the request for Mr Abbott to join the trade team.
“We’re delighted to have him on board,” a Whitehall source told The Sun.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage tweeted: “@HonTonyAbbott is a talented and deeply principled man with a great commitment to Brexit. This is a good appointment.”
Mr Abbott was a cheerleader for Brexit, which is still being finalised with the European Union amid tense talks.
In a speech last year, the former PM said that the UK should leave Europe, even in a no-deal scenario that could be a short term hit on the UK economy.
“So let me reassure anyone in Britain, anxious about the prospect of a no-deal Brexit, that Australia does one hundred billion dollars’ worth of trade with the EU every single year, on the basis of no deal,” Mr Abbott told the Policy Exchange think tank.
During a 2019 speech, he said he wanted “what’s best for Britain.
“Not because of birth; my citizenship was renounced some 30 years ago – but because it’s in the best interests of the wider world that Britain be strong; and Britain can’t be its full-strength without also being free – free to set its own course and to chart its own future,” he said.
The speech was introduced by Britain’s International Trade Secretary Liz Truss, who is the key figure in trade deals across the world.
Britain was close to signing a trade deal with Japan, which was likely to be the first inked post Brexit.
Mr Johnson told News Corp Australia at a speech in Greenwich, London, earlier this year that Australia was among the first four countries it wanted to do a trade deal with, also including the United States and New Zealand.
Scott Morrison said that Mr Abbott would be a “good hire” for the UK.
When asked if Mr Abbott would have to declare a foreign interest, he replied: “I’ll leave that to the Attorney-General but if there’s paperwork for Tony to sort out I’m sure he will get that done.”
Mr Abbott did not respond to requests for comment.
– with staff writers
stephen.drill@news.co.uk