International trade secretary Liam Fox says Britain can be ‘a beacon for open trade’

Britain is “scoping” free trade deals with 12 countries in time to leave the EU on January 1, 2019.

Australia yesterday offered to strike a deal with the UK “as soon as possible” when Theresa May spoke to Malcolm Turnbull, her counterpart in Canberra. The prime minister said the offer was proof she could “make Brexit work for Britain”.

Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, also revealed that he had opened “very fruitful” negotiations with Canada on Friday.

He will fly to the United States next week to ensure Britain is not at the “back of the queue”, as President Barack Obama had threatened it would be during the referendum campaign.

Fox said he was “scoping about a dozen free-trade deals outside the EU to