People believe the government should be supporting international
trade as the top foreign policy priority.
A report by BMG Research finds that the largest proportion of
people said the UK should be spending “most money” on boosting
trade, compared to other aspects of foreign policy.
Other questions showed high support for efforts to promote free
trade in general and the UK’s continued membership of the World
Trade Organization.
When asked “which aspect of foreign policy should the UK be
spending most money on”, the largest group, 44%, said trade.
The independent research was conducted on behalf of the British
Foreign Policy Group and the Centre for Social and Political
Risk.
In a separate question, 35% of people said that free trade is one
of the three most important issues the UK should be representing
on the world stage.
‘Free trade’ ranked behind only ‘interests and welfare of its own
people’ and ‘leader on global political issues such as human
rights’. The UK’s trade policy will deliver benefits for British
people and include important safeguards to promote human rights
around the world.
Meanwhile, 71% of people said the UK should remain a member of
the World Trade Organization, compared to just 7% who said the UK
should leave. Support for the WTO ranks only behind the United
Nations (76%) and Commonwealth (73%).
Responding to the report International Trade Secretary
said:
“As we leave the European Union, we have a golden opportunity to
forge a new role for ourselves in the world and international
trade is a vital tool in helping us to make the most of this.
“It is extremely encouraging to see such high public support for
our efforts to promote free trade and act constructively as a
founding member of the World Trade Organization.
“Now is the time for British government and British businesses to
engage openly on the world stage as we forge independent trade
policy to benefit people across the whole of the UK.”
Notes to editors
• The report ‘Behind Global Britain: Public Opinion on the UK’s
role in the world’ was written by Edward Elliott from the British
Foreign Policy Group, which provides an overview of public
opinion in the UK towards the UK’s role in the world. It is based
on the survey developed by the British Foreign Policy Group and
BMG Research.
• The report is funded as part of the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office’s Public Diplomacy programme.
