Liz Truss’s Department of International Trade is to tackle what it views as “fake news” about the UK’s post Brexit trade policy with its own rapid rebuttal expert. The DIT has just advertised a new position of “chief media officer, trade policy and rebuttal” to handle the press and denounce stories it believes are false or contain false information. The term “fake news” was given international currency by Donald Trump to denounce mainstream media outlets who challenged the US president on his pronouncements.
The job advert confirms the phrase is now being adopted by government in the UK to combat the fast-moving and international commentary on Twitter, Facebook and other platforms. With less than six months to go before the UK leaves the EU’s single market and customs union, the department is also casting for a new director general for trade relations and implementation to lead 800 staff, act as “ambassador for UK trade policy at the highest levels” and build “a pipeline of candidates for future free trade agreements”. According to the advert, the DIT’s new chief media officer will be asked to “advise ministers on reactive media handling and rebuttal, as well as managing rapid rebuttal processes and combatting fake news on social media” as well as “brief and handle lobby journalists on high-profile reactive and proactive stories, and develop a programme of media briefings to shape stories”. Responsibilities will also include “promoting our four priority trade deals”, which sources say are the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Japan recently gave the UK until the end of July to complete a continuity deal which would kick in temporarily after the UK loses access to the EU deals in January. The vacancy comes as Boris Johnson’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings seeks to shake up media relations in Whitehall. Two weeks ago Downing Street advertised for a £135,000-a-year data expert to set up a “skunkworks” in No 10, a reference to a pseudo start-up in the vein of those pioneered by aircraft maker Lockheed Martin to fire up innovative projects unencumbered by bureaucracy. A DIT spokesperson said: “Seeking free trade agreements is a key priority for this country. “The government is drawing on the skills of the brightest and best talent to achieve departmental goals and support in securing future trade deals.”