Trump’s tariffs were a missed opportunity for the Conservative Party to remind us what it actually stands for, writes Aaron Newbury

From Peel’s Corn Law repeal to Thatcher’s single market evangelism, free trade has always been the optimistic and beating heart of British Conservatism: a belief not just in open markets, but in Britain’s strength through economic openness.

But this month, as Donald Trump blew the dust off his tariff chart, we may have expected the Tories to roar defiantly. Instead, what we heard was closer to a whimper.

Yes, there were a few platitudes about Brexit ‘freedoms’ – but little more. It was a moment that cried out for principle, but the Tories ended up missing a trick and letting media drama get in the way of a robust defence for what we should stand for.

A missed opportunity to champion free trade

This was an open goal. Whilst Farage went around dressing up as a steel worker (presumably taking a break from........

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