Shanker Singham

Shankerย Singham

Photo credit: YouTube/Skyย News

Credentials

  • J.D., University of Miami, (1996).1Profile,” Competition Policy International. Archived December 14, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/OpPZe
  • Law Society Finals, Guildford College of Law, (1992).2Profile,” Competition Policy International. Archived December 14, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/OpPZe
  • C.P.E. Guildford College of Law (1992).3Profile,” Competition Policy International. Archived December 14, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/OpPZe
  • M.A., Balliol College, University of Oxford (1990).4Profile,” Competition Policy International. Archived December 14, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/OpPZe

Background

Shanker Singham is a former US lobbyist5Lobbyist Profile: Shanker A Singham,” Open Secrets. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/sn3qu who became a prominent figure in UK politics after the 2016 EU referendum.6 Pippa Crerar. “Shanker Singham: is he the brains of Brexit?” The Guardian, September 23, 2018. Archived December 14, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/UbLkV

Singham has been described in the media as the โ€œBrexiteersโ€™ brainโ€ for his close ties and โ€œunparalleled accessโ€ to senior Eurosceptic politicians and ministers, including Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Steve Baker, Liam Fox and David Davis.7 Alex Spence. “The Definitive Story Of How A Former Washington Lobbyist Became “The Brexiteers’ Brain”,” Buzzfeed, May 22, 2018. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/vGhJi 8 Peter Geoghegan, Jenna Corderoy. “Revealed: New evidence of โ€˜Hard Brexit svengali’ Shanker Singham’s โ€˜unparalleled access’ to senior government figures,” Open Democracy, June 14, 2018. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/GZjAc

Singham was named a member of a newly-established Trade and Agriculture Commission in July 2020, advising International Trade Secretary Liz Truss on trade policies designed to maintain a โ€œcompetitiveโ€ farming sector and high animal welfare and environmental standards.9Trade and Agriculture Commission membership announced,” Gov, July 10, 2020. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/P2L8Z

Singham has worked for two thinktanks with close ties to a network of groups lobbying for a deregulatory, โ€œhardโ€ Brexit based in and around offices at 55 Tufton Street in Westminster. He is a Fellow of International Trade and Competition at the free-market Institute of Economic Affairs,10Fellows and Academic Advisors,” IEA. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/7u3Jw having formerly been Director of its International Trade and Competition Unit.11 “ABOUT SHANKER SINGHAM” (PDF), Institute of Economic Affairs, May 16, 2018.

Prior to starting at the IEA in March 2018, Singham was Director of Economic Policy and Prosperity Studies at the Legatum Institute.12 Alex Spence. “The Definitive Story Of How A Former Washington Lobbyist Became “The Brexiteers’ Brain”,” Buzzfeed, May 22, 2018. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/vGhJi He also headed Legatumโ€™s โ€œSpecial Trade Commissionโ€,13 Cynthia O’Murchu, Henry Mance. “Legatum: the think-tank at intellectual heart of โ€˜hard’ Brexit,” Financial Times, December 4, 2017. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/3ONW4 which was set up in July 2016, to โ€œpresent a roadmapโ€ for post-Brexit trade talks.14Key Events,” Legatum. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/mselV

Legatum has been described by openDemocracy as โ€œthe Brexiteers’ favourite think tankโ€15 Peter Geoghegan. “Legatum: the Brexiteers’ favourite think tank. Who is behind them?” openDemocracy, November 26, 2017. Archived December 14, 2018. and was found to have breached Charity Commission rules with its Brexit work in 2018.16 Peter Geoghegan. “Legatum breached charity regulations with Brexit work, Charity Commission finds,” Open Democracy, May 31, 2018. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jitQK Former Chief Executive of Vote Leave and the TaxPayersโ€™ Alliance, Matthew Elliott, worked as a Legatum Senior Fellow in the year after the EU referendum.17 Matthew Elliott. “Matthew Elliott says farewell to the Legatum Institute,” Legatum Institute, Friday 11 May, 2018. Archived December 10, 2018. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/T3f5B

Singham was a member of an โ€œexpert committeeโ€ set up to advise former International Trade Secretary Liam Fox โ€œon matters related to trade and investmentโ€18 Chloe Farand. “Revealed: Liam Fox’s Trade Department is Taking Advice from ‘Experts’ with Links to Climate Science Denial Networks,” DeSmog, March 22, 2018. but was forced to resign due to a part-time role at PR and lobbying firm, Grayling. Other members included Ruth Lea, a Trustee of the GWPF, and Lord Lilley, a former Trustee.19Trade guru Shanker Singham quits over role at lobbying firm,” The Times, June 25, 2018.  Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/7VkAc

As recently as 2015, Singham was listed as an โ€œexpertโ€ on a now-deleted webpage of the US-based climate science denying campaign group the Heartland Institute. The websiteโ€™s โ€œExpert Searchโ€ contained โ€œstaff, managing editors, senior fellows, and policy advisors (unpaid volunteers) to The Heartland Institute, as well as persons affiliated with other think tanks who have agreed to be identified as topic area experts for Heartland.โ€20Expert Search,” The Heartland Institute. Archived September 12, 2015. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/aJaCG

Singham is Chair of the recently-established pro-Brexit-related news and commentary website, Global Vision. Despite sharing a name, the website has no formal association with the Eurosceptic campaign group directed by Ruth Lea and based at 55 Tufton Street.21About Us,” Global Vision. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/vMZ3P

Stance on Climate Change

Singham does not appear to have publicly voiced his views on climate change.

Key Quotes

May 11, 2020

In a comment article on farming, written for the Global Vision website, Singham wrote:22 Shanker Singham. “Agriculture: The Threats to Global Britain,” Global Vision, May 11, 2020. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/HqaUk

โ€œIn the area of agriculture, the EU is embarked on a Dante like journey ever deeper into the hell of protectionism. Its rules are diverging ever more dramatically from sound science.  The PM recognised this when later in the speech, turning on critics of the US deal, he said: โ€œBut I must say to the America bashers in this country if there are any that in doing free trade deals we will be governed by science and not by mumbo-jumbo because the potential is enormous.โ€23 Shanker Singham. “Agriculture: The Threats to Global Britain,” Global Vision, May 11, 2020. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/HqaUk

October 2017

While with the Legatum Institute, Singham said in an interview with BBC Newsnight:24Shanker Singham: ‘We should be an independent, sovereign nation from Day One of Brexit’ – Viewsnight,” YouTube video uploaded by user BBC Newsnight on October 25, 2017. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

โ€œWe should be an independent, sovereign nation from Day One of Brexit.

โ€œโ€ฆWe also need to take control of our regulatory environment so it can be improved. At the same time, we can make bilateral deals with countries like the US. We can join with large regional groupings like the Trans-Pacific Partnership.โ€25Shanker Singham: ‘We should be an independent, sovereign nation from Day One of Brexit’ – Viewsnight,” YouTube video uploaded by user BBC Newsnight on October 25, 2017. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.

Key Deeds

October 4, 2020

Shanker Singham was among panellists addressing a Conservative Party Conference fringe event, hosted by US right-wing think tank Heritage Foundation. He disputed that a post-Brexit free trade deal with the United States would have any significant consequences for environmental standards, despite evidence that US groups were using British affiliates to lobby the UK government to weaken existing animal and environmental protections. 

He argued that โ€œthere seems to be this assumption that the US is going to demand that the UK will lower its labour and environmental standards, quite the reverse, quite the contrary. The US has stated in its negotiating objectives that the UK mustn’t do those things. So I donโ€™t think thereโ€™s any risk of this from the US side. But the issue of red lines and what we need to do in order to get a deal is quite a mercantilist way of thinking about a trade agreement.โ€26 Rachel Sherrington. “These Agribusiness Groups With Ties to Climate Denial are Trying to Influence the US-UK Trade,” DeSmog, September 24, 2020.  27UK Free Trade After Brexit: The United States and Beyond,” YouTube video uploaded by user Think Tent on October 4, 2020. Archived October 6, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.vn/NgFvK 

August 2020

Singham described a post-Brexit deal between the UK and the US as a โ€œwin-winโ€, dismissing concerns that the US would force the UK to accede to their demands. Singham added that agriculture was a โ€œfundamentalโ€ issue for the US, declining to comment on the protection of UK farmers from US food imports.28 Naomi Adedokun, “Remainer Myth US will steamroll UK in โ€˜win-win’ deal brilliantly debunked by Brexit expert”,The Daily Express, August 4th, 2020. Archived on 07 September 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.fo/ePmQE

July 2020

Singham was named a member of a newly-established Trade and Agriculture Commission in July 2020, advising International Trade Secretary Liz Truss on trade policies designed to maintain a โ€œcompetitiveโ€ farming sector and high animal welfare and environmental standards.29Trade and Agriculture Commission membership announced,” Gov, July 10, 2020. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/P2L8Z Singhamโ€™s affiliation with the IEA was originally disclosed by the government but was later removed from their press release.30 Rachel Sherrington. “Government Appoints Lobbyists with US Agribusiness Ties to Trade and Agriculture Commission,” DeSmog, July 15, 2020.

The Department for International Trade declined to answer questions about the change when contacted, while the IEA said Singham and another affiliate of the thinktank, Sir Lockwood Smith, had not joined โ€œin an IEA capacityโ€.31 Rachel Sherrington. “Government Appoints Lobbyists with US Agribusiness Ties to Trade and Agriculture Commission,” DeSmog, July 15, 2020.

The composition and parameters of the commission drew criticism from environmental32RSPCA dismisses Trade Commission as โ€˜Trojan Horse’,” RSPCA, July 10, 2020. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/ZRAzm  and animal welfare groups, with the major environmental coalition, Greener UK, stating that the commissionโ€™s membership raised โ€œserious questions over its ability to address environmental issues.โ€33Our reaction to the membership of the government’s Trade and Agriculture Commission, announced this morning,” Tweet by @GreenerUK on July 10, 2020. Retrieved from Twitter.com. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive .png on file at DeSmog.

September 2018

Singham was reportedly the architect of a proposal for a Canada-style trade deal between the UK and EU, touted as an โ€œalternative Brexit planโ€ by then Brexit Secretary David Davis. The plan was seen as a key part of the strategy adopted by MPs and policymakers who supported a hard Brexit and rejected then Prime Minister Theresa Mayโ€™s compromise โ€œChequers planโ€.34 Catherine Neilan. “David Davis aims to see off Chequers by backing fully fledged ‘Alternative Brexit Plan’,” City A.M., September 4, 2018. Archived December 15, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/w0JM2 A Canada-style deal would remove most tariffs to trade with the EU,35What is a โ€˜Canada-style’ trade deal?” BBC News, February 3, 2020. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/vADL9 which has dismissed the option as unlikely.36 Simon Murphy. “Brexit deal ‘a different ball game’ to Canada agreement, warns EU,” Guardian, February 19, 2020. Archived July 16, 2020. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/7JUjP

July 2018

Singham arranged for members of aย USย think tank in favour of reducing regulations around chlorinated chickenย to meetย UKย politicians, according to an investigation by Greenpeaceโ€™s investigative unit Unearthed.37 Alice Ross. “How the IEA teamed up with US donors to push for environmental deregulation post-Brexit,” Unearthed, July 30, 2018. Archived December 15, 2018. 38 Chloe Farand. “How Hard-Brexit Thinktank the Institute for Economic Affairs Helps Climate Science Deniers Push a Deregulation Agenda,” DeSmog, July 31, 2018.

Unearthed obtained recordings of IEA Director General Mark Littlewood claiming Singham and his team were speaking with then Environment Secretary Michael Gove โ€œevery three or four days, along with David Davis, Boris Johnson and Liam Fox.โ€39 Lawrence Carter and Alice Ross. “A leading think tank brokered access to ministers for US donors looking to influence Brexit,” Unearthed, July 29, 2018. Archived December 15, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/6Ffcz

Unearthed found that Singham organised for Michael Carnuccio, CEO of the E Foundation, an Oklahoma-based think tank, to meet then Brexit minister Steve Baker and other members of European Research Group, an influential grouping of Eurosceptic Tory MPs previously led by Jacob Rees-Mogg.40 Chloe Farand. “How Hard-Brexit Thinktank the Institute for Economic Affairs Helps Climate Science Deniers Push a Deregulation Agenda,” DeSmog, July 31, 2018.

According to the investigation, Carnuccio compared Singham to George Clooneyโ€™s well-connected โ€œfixerโ€ character in the movie Michael Clayton: โ€œShanker is like that but for trade and economics and everything else, they all just seem to call him or want to talk to him to, like, figure out how to get things done.โ€41 Alice Ross. “How the IEA teamed up with US donors to push for environmental deregulation post-Brexit,” Unearthed, July 30, 2018. Archived December 15, 2018.

June 2018

The Department for International Trade was embroiled in a controversy involving Singham after openDemocracy revealed42 Chloe Farand. “Revealed: Liam Fox’s Trade Department is Taking Advice from ‘Experts’ with Links to Climate Science Denial Networks,” DeSmog, March 22, 2018. that he had begun advising PR and lobbying firm Grayling about Brexit, while simultaneously serving as a member of International Trade Secretary Liam Fox’s trade advisory team.43 Adam Ramsay and Peter Geoghegan. “Liam Fox caught in fresh ‘lobbyists as advisers’ scandal,” OpenDemocracyUK, June 21, 2018. Archived December 15, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/vWjjf

Singham said there was no conflict of interest but stepped down from his trade advisory role days later. DeSmog mapped the government departments and ministers he had met with since the Brexit vote.44 Mat Hope and Richard Collett-White. “Mapped: How Brexit Lobbyists Give Climate Science Deniers Privileged Access to the UK Government,” DeSmog, July 3, 2018.

May 2018

Singhamย visitedย theย USย to work on a post-Brexit trade deal withย Matthew Elliott, former Chief Executive of Vote Leave, editor-at-large of Brexit Central and founder of 55 Tufton Street resident theย TaxPayersโ€™ Alliance.45Senior Fellow Matthew Elliott recently visited America where he made the case for a strong US-UK trade deal,” Legatum Institute, May 22, 2017. Archived May 31, 2017.

March 2018

Singhamย left the Legatum Instituteย to headย the International Trade and Competition Unit at the Institute of Economic Affairs.46Shanker Singham to head up new Trade Unit at Institute of Economic Affairs,” IEA, March 9, 2018. Archived December 15, 2018. Archive.fo URL: https://archive.fo/7YRwo

Affiliations

Social Media

Publications

According to his profile at the IEA, Singham has โ€œlectured, written and spoken extensively, including over one hundred articles and book chapters.โ€ He has written regularly for UK conservative news outlets including The Telegraph and Conservative Home.59 “ABOUT SHANKER SINGHAM” (PDF), Institute of Economic Affairs, May 16, 2018.

Other Resources

Resources

Related Profiles

Global Vision Background Global Vision (also known as Global Vision UK) is a Brexit-focused media outlet that provides โ€œan online homeโ€ for โ€œall those wanting to follow the next chapter...
Peter Allgeier Credentials BA, International Relations, Brown Universityโ€œInternational Trade and Competition Unit Advisory Council,โ€ Institute for Economic Affairs. Archived July 27, 20...
Legatum Institute Background The Legatum Institute (LI) was founded in 2007 by the Legatum Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dubai-based investment firm the Legatum Group.โ€œ...
Photo Credit: Hall School Alumni site James Bethell Credentials MA, History and Politics, The University of Edinburgh (1990).โ€œJames Bethell,โ€ LinkedIn. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. ...