Responding to news that the UK has signed a new trade deal with Japan, Liberal Democrat Trade Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The Government’s deal with Japan appears to be little more than a less ambitious version of the trade agreement between Japan and the EU. The Conservatives cannot be allowed to present it as a Brexit victory.
“The agreement’s economic contribution will be a drop in the ocean. Government has failed to leverage any meaningful benefit from its independent trade policy, whilst a deal protecting our EU trade is nowhere in sight. There couldn’t be a more reckless approach to international trade.
“Boris Johnson must immediately get his priorities right and stop posturing, to ensure a close relationship with our most critical economic partner – Europe – or we risk a second economic crisis on top of coronavirus.”