Trade; Unsurprising Election Villain

Trade policy is beginning to create election time news, for all the wrong reasons. The fact that trade policy is almost innevitably going to be scapegoated for the next month makes new leadership - like that which Simon and Rob called for last week - all the more important. The closest we are getting at the moment is departing administration officials like Robert Zoellick writing in this morning's FT. Without real leadership from those at the top of both parties, the election period will be nothing but damaging to supporters of trade, and both parties will have to clear up the mess whoever wins in November.