Boris Johnson is ‘hobbled’ as Foreign Secretary because he has little influence over trade, Tory claims

BORIS JOHNSON is “hobbled” as Foreign Secretary because he has little influence over diplomacy, trade and development, a top Tory claims.

Tom Tugendhat MP, head of the cross-party Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Foreign Secretary has the title “but not the power”.

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The blast – due to come in a speech at the RUSI think-tank today - is likely to infuriate Mr Johnson.

The two are touted as potential leadership rivals for No.10.

In words trailed on Sunday Mr Tugendhat said: “We need to make the Foreign Office the strategic engine of our foreign policy again.

“The Foreign Office has lost control of key aspects of overseas influence, like trade and development.

“And it has been obliged to take part in a tug-of-war with the Cabinet Office over anything that involved national security and the EU.

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“This has created silos in our foreign policy, reducing our ability to balance across areas of influence.”

The backbencher has previously criticised Boris Johnson’s use of the phrase ‘Global Britain’ – saying it was little more than superficial branding.

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He will claim successive foreign secretaries “have been hobbled”.

But the Foreign Office suffered from a huge shake-up when Theresa May took power in 2016.

Responsibility for Brexit negotiations was passed to a newly created Brexit Department under David Davis.
Trade Secretary Liam Fox was charged with running trade negotiations.