Thornberry slams “shambolic excuse for a government” over Abbott appointment

Emily Thornberry has slammed the Conservative administration as a “shambolic excuse for a government” over the appointment of Tony Abbott as an adviser to the Board of Trade.

Responding to the announcement of the former Australian Prime Minister’s selection for the job, the Shadow International Trade Secretary identified “two factors that should have immediately disqualified Tony Abbott from this role”.

She highlighted his offensive statements and said that he has “no experience of detailed trade negotiations”. She described the decision made by the government as “wrong appointment on every level”.

Commenting this evening, Thornberry said: “There are two factors that should have immediately disqualified Tony Abbott from this role.

“First, his history of offensive statements is so long and repetitive that it speaks to serious defects in his character, which is not one I think should be representing Britain on the world stage.

“And second, the fact that he has no experience of detailed trade negotiations, no understanding of Brexit, no belief in climate change, no concern for workers’ rights, and no compunction about killing off Australia’s car industry mean, to my mind, that he has no credentials for this role.

“Tony Abbott is therefore the wrong appointment on every level, which begs the more important question of why on earth Boris Johnson and Liz Truss have given him the job.

“However, with this shambolic excuse for a government, we may continue to be appalled and disappointed at their serial incompetence, but we should never any longer be surprised.”

Labour warned against the decision to appoint Abbott on Thursday and described the move as “completely unacceptable”. It urged that the government look for an “expert with views on women and equalities that better reflect our British values”.

Party leader Keir Starmer told Sky News that he has “real concerns about Tony Abbott” and that if he were Prime Minister he would not appoint him to the senior trade role.

But Boris Johnson dismissed claims that Abbott is not suitable for the position today, rejecting criticisms of the former Australian politician’s remarks about women, LGBT+ people and climate change.

He will serve as an adviser to the UK’s relaunched Board of Trade, which International Trade Secretary and women and equalities minister Liz Truss currently heads as president.

Earlier this week, Labour’s Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary highlighted Abbott’s record for misogynistic and homophobic comments – including his comments on the “sex appeal” of two female politicians.

Marsha de Cordova also criticised Truss for refusing to condemn Abbott’s remarks in the Commons and described Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s defence of the former Australian Prime Minister on Thursday as “deeply disturbing”.