Brexit is our new reality, but we must harness it to expand global trade, not retreat inwards like Trump, says Geoffrey de Mowbray

I often say trade moves like water, always finding new routes in the face of disruption. It’s fair to say the last few months have sent not just ripples but tidal waves through the global trade ecosystem. The latest storm hit last weekend, with the news that Trump is threatening a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese exports to the US. The news has not been well received by China, with warnings of retaliatory tariffs and a looming trade war on the horizon.

Protectionism is economic cowardice – the last resort of politicians when they’ve run out of ideas for growth. Trump might be showing his teeth, but this latest threat is an admission of weakness, not a sign of dominance. It’s a sign that America no longer trusts itself to compete.

The UK risks falling into the same trap. Brexit is our new reality, and........

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