From Peter Mitchell, Ventnor:

An important argument in the Brexit debate was that of taking back control; this despite the warning any trade deal requires the relinquishing of some aspect of sovereignty.

Liam Fox plans to include Investor-State Dispute Settlement [ISDS] mechanisms in any future trade deals. These allow multinational corporations to sue governments if they believe that the company’s profits have been damaged by a nation’s legislation. For example, were there to be an embargo on fracking on the IW, an American corporation with a thwarted interest could sue for millions in potential lost profits, or the NHS could be sued by pharmaceuticals for the capping of medicine costs.

Until now, Britain has been largely protected from ISDSs by membership of a large trading block, the EU.

What hope is there for the future sovereignty of a small, post-industrial country, desperate for trade deals?