Farage, meet reality
A stubborn audience member on last night’s BBC Question Time pushed Nigel Farage into admitting he did not know how many countries traded on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms without a trade deal to another country, something the Brexit party leader advocates for.
The Northampton man was aggravated by Farage arguing for the trading arrangement, asking him to name another nation that does the same.
After much obfuscation it became clear Nigel did not know the answer, which is – there aren’t any.
If one of the WTO’s 164 member states does not have a trade deal with another member, it trades under WTO terms. The EU is in the WTO and negotiates as one bloc, one of the significant advantages of EU membership, while other countries represent themselves.
The audience member said: “I think there’s a couple of problems here.
“The fundamental problem first of all, is Nigel, you say the WTO rules are not the problem, that’s the solution.
“Name one country that is the WTO rules that doesn’t already have a trade agreement with one other country.
“Name me one country.”
Farage said: “WTO rules are the basis from which we begin. Now I believe the only way we can get a free trade deal with the EU without the attached politics, is first to leave, and they’ll come running.
“By the way, there are two dozen countries queueing up to do trade deals with us.
“Once we leave, we’ll be able to strike deals all over the world, which will be far better off…”
The final exchange came.
Northampton man: “Nigel, do you actually know the answer?”
Nigel: “No I don’t, because actually there isn’t one.”
Northampton man: “But you’re advocating to do it! You’re sitting here telling members of the public to do that and no one has done it before us.”
Enjoy.
‘Just answer the question, can you name a country?’
This audience member questions @Nigel_Farage over a no-deal Brexit. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/kMubWk5o7T
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) May 9, 2019
