Boris Johnson’s administration is recruiting an external adviser to identify new opportunities following Brexit to demonstrate the benefits of the UK’s departure from the European Union.
Almost five years on from the Brexit referendum result, the Tory government continues to struggle to demonstrate the tangible benefits of leaving the EU.
It has set former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith in charge of how Britain can reshape the economy, but his task force is yet to publicly report back with suggestions.
Now Brexit negotiator David Frost – now tasked with shaping the UK’s post-Brexit with the EU, has revealed the government is looking to hire someone to demonstrate the opportunities.
Speaking to a committee of MPs, he said: “We have high hopes of outside input into this process. We’re all fully behind making things happen.”
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He said those opportunities could come from financial services regulation, reform to agricultural subsidies, and speeding up clinical trials of drugs. Frost also pointed to subsidy control, changing procurement rules, and freeports where there will be imminent change.
“It’s a huge advantage to a country to be able to design its own laws,” he said. “It is really important that we exercise that freedom in as useful and productive a way we can.”
Commenting on the new role to identify post-Brexit opportunities, former Tory cabinet minister David Gauke tweeted: “Nearly five years after the referendum and the search continues.”
“Unbelievable – shouldn’t the government have identified opportunities BEFORE they dragged us out of the EU?” asked former civil servant Siobhan Benita.
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