Kemi Badenoch (Image: PA)
Kemi Badenoch has hailed a bumper year for Brexit Britain, highlighting no fewer than 12 victories in as many months, ranging from trade deals to the slashing of red tape, stemming from the country’s decision to quit the European Union.
Ms Badenoch, who today came out on top in a survey of Conservative Party members asked who they want to be their next leader, is currently Business and Trade Secretary, tasked with delivering the benefits of life outside the bloc.
She outlined her achievements in a series of 15 posts on X (formerly Twitter) today, explaining: “2023 was a busy year for @biztradegovuk. My role expanded from Trade and Equalities to include Business.
“From big investment wins to new trade deals, using our Brexit freedoms to get our economy growing; we have been working flat out.”
The year began with the UK-Italy Export and Investment Partnership, the first agreement of its kind between the UK and an EU country, which Ms Badenoch said spelt “more trade with, and exports to, Italy” and “more jobs and investment in Britain”.
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Port Talbot steelworks (Image: Getty)
In February, the Government announced that both Airbus and Rolls Royce would be building a new aircraft for Air India, with hundreds of millions of pounds already invested. Thousands of “good jobs” have been secured in Wales and Derbyshire delivering what Ms Badenoch called “a big win for British aerospace”.
In April, Britain joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), an Asia-Pacific trade bloc of 12 sovereign, fast-growing and free-trading countries.
Declaring it to mark the start of “a new era for our country as a trading nation”, Ms Badenoch emphasised: “The majority of global growth by 2050 will come from this region.”
In May, the UK initiated its Smarter Regulation programme, described by Ms Badenoch as offering a means to “cut the red tape holding our economy back”. She stressed: “We’re protecting workers’ rights whilst saving businesses billions.”
Rishi Sunak and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Number 10 (Image: Getty)
She continued: “Two other Brexit benefits kicked in during May. Our trade deals with Australia and New Zealand entered into force.
“Only possible because we’re now an independent trading nation.
“UK businesses are already reaping the benefits.”
Back in the UK, Ms Badenoch highlighted Tata Group’s decision to make what she called “one of the largest ever investments in the UK car industry”.
She added: “Their £4billion gigafactory in Somerset will create 4,000 highly skilled jobs. It will be one of the largest gigafactories in Europe.”
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CPTPP factfile (Image: Express)
Sticking with the motor industry, in September BMW announced a £600million investment to transform their Oxford plant to produce their new generation of electric Minis, while Ms Badenoch also singled out a £1.25billion investment from TataSteel in Port Talbot to “secure the future of British steel”, protecting more than 10,000 jobs in the process.
Throughout the year, Britain has signed several trade pacts with individual US states – specifically, Washington, Utah, Oklahoma and, most recently in November, Florida.
Ms Badenoch said: “We now have deals with seven US states who have a combined GDP of £3.3trillion – almost that of Germany!
“Soon afterwards, we hosted hundreds of the world’s biggest investors at our 2023 Global Investment Summit.
“They committed to investing £30billion in the UK – more than 3x what our summit in 2021 achieved.
“A huge vote of confidence in the UK.”
Kemi Badenoch hints at Brexit trade win with US state
November also saw the launch of the UK’s Advanced Manufacturing Plan committing to £4.5billion in investment to “bolster our supply chain security and our competitive advantage in key areas”, Ms Badenoch explained.
Finally, she added: “Since publishing the Plan, Nissan has invested £2billion in its Sunderland plant.
“And just two weeks ago, Airbus & Rolls Royce agreed to provide Turkish Airlines with aircraft – a deal worth billions to the UK.
“A good end to 2023.”
Ms Badenoch concluded: “Thank you to the fantastic DBT ministers who helped me deliver all of the above: Nus Ghani, Greg Hands, Kevin Hollinrake Lord Offord, my PPSes Alex Stafford and Jane Stevenson and finally, my brilliant DBT special advisers and civil servants. There will be much more to come from @biztradegovuk in 2024!”
