The trade secretary’s supporters also praised her as she returned to front-of-house duties after being dropped from the Tory leadership race. Her comments came after International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan criticized Ms Mordaunt during the competition, saying: “There were many times when she was not available, which would have been helpful, and other ministers picked up the pieces. .” Ms Mordaunt also used trade questions to confirm that the UK is negotiating with 25 of the 50 US states in a bid to agree economic pacts. Former Tory minister Dame Andrea Lindsom, a key supporter of Ms Mordom, told the minister: “I can pay tribute to my right honorable friend for a fantastic, brave and clean campaign to lead the Conservative Party and become Prime Minister ». He asked: “Does he agree with me that being a force for good in the world for free trade is an absolutely honorable goal and one that the UK should be promoting at every opportunity?” Ms Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North, replied: “Yes, I’m a bit surprised to be here this morning given my work ethic. But I’m here. “And he’s absolutely right. We, a G7 nation, exiting the EU’s regulatory orbit is an international event. And it gives us a huge opportunity, and also for nations like the United States, to really put forward our view of the world and capitalism and fight for those things that we believe in.” Ms Mordaunt targeted Ms Trevelyan for further investigation after Labor criticized the Department for International Trade for a “really shameless attempt” to “avoid any form of scrutiny” over the UK-Australia free trade deal. Shadow trade minister Ruth Cadbury said the department had “skewed” eight invitations to attend the Commons’ International Trade Committee and abstained from voting on the deal before it was ratified. Ms Trevelyan was accused earlier this week of being “bottled up” before MPs to discuss the deal. Ms Mordaunt, in her reply, said: “For my part, whenever the Committee on International Trade or another body of this House has asked me to go before it, I do. “I think that is the position of the ministerial team and we will continue to do so.” Shadow International Trade Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “I welcome the MP for Portsmouth North after her efforts in the Tory leadership contest. “But the secretary of state is much less complimentary about her efforts in the ministry.” Mr Thomas-Symonds went on to read Ms Trevelyan’s review. As Tory MPs aimed cries of “shame” at him, he insisted: “They’re shouting ‘shameful’ at me – those are the Conservatives’ words to each other, not mine.” Ms Trevelyan replied: “I have a fantastic team of ministers which is why we are able to do everything we can to ensure that our UK businesses have access to British support and government support to deliver the fantastic goods and their services throughout the country. world.” Conservative Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Melton) said of Ms Mordaunt: “I have always been impressed by the Portsmouth North MP’s quiet diligence in doing her job. “So he can update me on the progress of signing individual agreements with US states, which my farmers in Rutland and Melton are particularly interested in.” Ms. Mordaunt replied: “This week we continued our negotiations with Utah and yesterday we also signed the second state-level memorandum of understanding with North Carolina, which will be based on green growth. “Right now we’re negotiating with half the states in the US. “The first eight deals we will sign will cover 20 per cent of the US economy and this will open up procurement, allow for mutual recognition of qualifications and allow UK businesses to take a bigger share of both goods and exports services. “ Conservative ex-minister Tim Loughton noted Ms Mordaunt is “allegedly shy” as he praised her work with the US states, joking: “Think what she could achieve if her focus was on work”.
