LIAM Fox has admitted defeat in his Cabinet battle with Michael Gove over ditching Brussels red tape on food standards - in a blow to his hopes of signing a swift trade deal with the US.

The International Trade Secretary shot down calls from US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross to bin the EU’s “highly protectionist” rules on food standards.

6 International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has now insisted that future trade deals would not allow reductions in food standards Credit: Rex Features

He insisted: “We are not going to see reductions in our standards” after Brexit.

Just last week Mr Fox reopened his row with Environment Secretary Mr Gove over the contentious issue - saying he had “no objection” to Brits being sold chlorinated chicken.

The sale of chlorinated-washed chicken is currently banned under EU rules but allowed in the US.

But last week Mr Fox said there were “no health reasons” to deny American chicken being sold here.

6 Environment Secretary Michael Gove has insisted that British food standards should not be downgraded in anyway Credit: Getty Images - Getty

He conceded: “British consumers wouldn’t stand for it.”

He added: “We will look and see what we think is in the UK’s interest.

“We have made very clear that we are not going to see reductions in our standards as we move forwards, partly because British consumers wouldn’t stand for it.

“We are entering an era where I think consumers will take a much bigger interest in trade agreements than they might have done in the past.

6 Liam Fox conceded and said 'British consumers would not stand for it' Credit: Reuters

“I think on things like environmental standards and quality and safety they will clearly have very strong views.”

Meanwhile David Davis visited Rome in his latest charm offensive ahead of the next round of Brexit talks later this week.

But a poll revealed that public confidence in the negotiations had plunged to an all-time low.

Dr Fox also insisted his department was “training up” staff to be able to negotiate deals after Brexit, with more than 400 people in the trade policy group.

6 Liam Fox has said his department was 'training' staff to negotiate the best deals for post-Brexit Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

“We have brought in Crawford Falconer from New Zealand and he is in charge of creating that professional cadre over time to help us do that,” Dr Fox told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

As well as Mr Falconer’s role as chief trade negotiation adviser, much of the work on future deals would draw on “sector specialists” from across Whitehall.

“We have got a huge amount of capability there already and of course we do have some UK people who have been working in Brussels as part of the European arm of that, that we can bring back to the UK,” Dr Fox said.

Dr Fox’s department is publishing the Trade Bill, which includes provisions for the UK to implement existing EU trade deals.

6 Liam Fox shut down US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for calling on Britain to ditch EU rules on food Credit: PA:Press Association

It will also help ensure that UK companies can continue to access £1.3 trillion worth of major government contracts in other countries and set up a new trade remedies body to defend UK businesses against injurious trade practices.

He said: “What we intend to do is a process that is technically called transitional adoption.

“For countries like South Korea ... we will want to get continuity of that agreement that they have with the EU but on the basis that over time we will create a more bespoke arrangement.”

Replicating the EU’s existing agreements was “not quite cut and paste” but it was a “technical issue” to provide continuity, he said.

6 Last week, Mr Fox said he did not object to Brits being sold chlorinated US chicken Credit: PA:Press Association

Further tax-related elements of the UK’s trade policy will be contained in the Treasury’s forthcoming customs legislation - the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill - as part of the creation of a new UK tariff regime.

Prime Minister Theresa May says she ​would take Liam Fox to a desert island