Communications expert slammed UK government's "worrying" behaviour over EU trade deal

6 February 2020, 15:52 | Updated: 7 February 2020, 11:55

The UK government's behaviour is "worrying" as they are trying to rush a deal through instead of communicating with British businesses, said this Communications expert who negotiated with the EU on behalf of Canada.

Andrew MacDougall worked with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper through five years of trade talks with the EU.

He critiqued the government's desire to rush through a trade deal and highlighted there could economic damage after a rapid trade agreement.

Even if the government trigger a one or two year extension and "take the time to do a negotiation in a bit more considered way you'd still be out well in advance of any return trip to the poll," said the former advisor.

Shelagh asked what it had been like negotiating with the European Union.

He said it was essential Boris Johnson went in with a clear mandate for these negotiations, and called the UK government's behaviour "worrying" because "the government keeps telling business here you'll have to accept that we're going to diverge... but business still has to know what that different relationship is.

"It's a big ask to make a business suck it up and take it but we still don't know what you're going to take."

Mr MacDougall emphasised trade negotiations take a lot of time, but with the UK government, there's been such a long period of "hyper-partisan politics about this that the imperative has always been short term."

"The EU is structured very much to be a frustrating thing to negotiate against," he said, revealing the issues Canada had faced when attempting to finalise a deal.

He emphasised the Prime Minister has to get the UK on board for this deal to work.

More Shelagh Fogarty News

See more More Shelagh Fogarty News

The Princess of Wales says she edited the photograph that was released to mark Mother's Day.

The insistence that we see Kate is tantamount to stalking, writes Shelagh Fogarty

Caller tells Shelagh his solution to illegal immigration.

LBC caller tells Shelagh Fogarty that the Channel islands are the answer to 'illegal immigration'

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' immigration policies

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self-interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' migration policies

Shelagh Fogarty

Former Treasury official outlines 'three immediate priorities' likely to be reflected in Autumn Statement

Shelagh Fogarty

Suella Braverman's hardline crime bill seems like she's ‘interviewing' for career at ‘pathetic’ news channels, says caller

Shelagh and caller Sam

Anti-Semitic chants and actions 'delegitimize' pro-Palestinian cause asserts this Shelagh Fogarty caller

Shelagh and Ricardo Dos Santos

'It's sickening': Ricardo Dos Santos speaks to Shelagh Fogarty as two officers sacked over stop and search

Shelagh

Rishi Sunak has 'failed monumentally' to 'humanise' both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict says Israel expert

Shelagh and Callum

Twitter is a 'particularly dangerous' place to get information now says the Centre for Countering Digital Hate

Shelagh and caller Simon

LBC caller details 'disgusting anti-Semitic' act he witnessed, as hate crimes rise in fall out of Israel-Hamas war

Sister of missing Israeli woman

'We hope she's hiding somewhere': Sister of missing Israeli festival goer fears she is being held hostage by Hamas

Distraught caller on Israel-Gaza conflict.

'This is a war against Hamas!': Distraught caller wants Israel and Palestine to take down the 'enemy' together

Shelagh and Alicia Kearns

Head of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee expresses concern over Israeli 'siege of Gaza'

Shelagh Fogarty caller on facial recognition.

This caller lacks 'trust' in the government's handling of the AI facial recognition debate

Shelagh condemns PM's comments on 'dignity' of the elderly.

'He painted a picture of a Britain that the Conservatives meant to build...': Shelagh Fogarty condemns PM's suggestion that elderly have 'dignity'

Shelagh Fogarty on Jenrick

'We're full aren't we?': Shelagh questions Robert Jenrick's motive behind encouraging Brits to increase birth rate