Issues-led communications

Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP: Secretary of State for International Trade

Dr Liam Fox was appointed Secretary of State for International Trade on 14th July 2016. A GP by trade, he held a number of shadow roles and was party chairman between 2003 to 2005, before becoming shadow secretary of state for defence (2010-2011). He stepped down from the post amid controversy over his working relationship with friend and self-styled adviser Adam Werritty.

Dr Fox, a ‘Leave’ supporter, returned to the frontbench as a favourite of the Tory grassroots – underlining Theresa May’s efforts to appease those on the right of her party. The remit of his new department will be interesting, as traditionally the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ‘sells’ the UK to other nations: maintaining these trading relations is critical to making Brexit work. The Brexit department will be delivering the EU trade deal, so Dr Fox has been charged with producing frameworks for trade deals. However, this leaves the FCO in something of a grey area, already creating showdowns between Johnson and Fox.