Business Secretary Greg Clark slams Liam Fox over his crass comment about ‘lazy and fat’ businessmen who prefer golf

THE Business Secretary Greg Clark slapped down Trade boss Liam Fox yesterday for saying British businessmen are “lazy and too fat”.

In a humiliating dig, he told the Commons: “I’m yet to meet a lazy business person”.

Mr Clarke was swift to distance himself from Mr Fox unguarded comments last week at a Tory event.

The Trade minister sparked outrage after he suggested British bosses were not exporting as much as our international rivals as they prefer playing golf.

Mr Clark singled out his own father as evidence and arguing British firm works hard every day of the week.

Mr Fox told the Conservative Way Forward group: “This country is not the free-trading nation that it once was.”

“We have become too lazy and too fat on our successes in previous generations.”

But Mr Clark hit back: “I’ve yet to meet a lazy business person, starting with my own father who was up before dawn every morning running his small business.”

Labour’s Ben Bradshaw claimed there was “great anger” felt by Britain’s businesses following the comments last week, and called on the PM to contain “the damage”.