Tory former minister Liam Fox has been officially nominated to be the next Director General of the World Trade Organisation.
A senior Government source confirmed that Dr Fox, the Conservative MP for North Somerset, has been put forward by the UK to be the WTO's new director general.
Dr Fox has held ministerial roles under John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May, latterly serving as international trade secretary during the Brexit negotiations.
He was forced to resign as Defence Secretary in 2011, after allowing a close friend, Adam Werrity, to accompany him on at least 18 foreign business trips between 2009 and 2011.
Despite not holding security clearance, Mr Werrity visited Dr Fox at the MoD on 22 occasions and attended a string of meetings with the Defence Secretary.
Dr Fox was an ardent supporter of the UK's exit from the EU.
He was later sacked by Boris Johnson as International Trade Secretary in a reshuffle and replaced by Liz Truss.
Ms Truss said Dr Fox would be a "fierce champion of free and fair trade".
She tweeted: "Delighted to confirm that the UK will be nominating LiamFox to be the next Director General of the WTO.
"We need a fierce champion of free and fair trade, an advocate of multilateralism and someone able to get things done.
"Liam brings all that to the table."
The WTO is seeking a new director general after Roberto Azevedo announced he will step down next month.
Nominations close later on Wednesday.
Shadow International Trade Secretary Emily Thornberry said: "It seems extraordinary that Boris Johnson is prepared to tell his international counterparts that the man he decided a year ago was not good enough to lead Britain’s trade policy is now the best candidate he can think of to lead the World's.
"For a job of this importance, at this crucial time for the world and British economy, with the threat of further tariff wars exacerbating a global recession, it is also hugely disappointing that the UK is submitting a candidate that the international community will immediately discount.
"There will be little trust in somebody who promised so much in regards to Britain's future trade yet delivered so little and was the architect of a Trade Bill that threatens to jeopardise our farming standards our public services, and a UK Trade Remedies Authority that gives no voice to business or workers. That is not the man we need in charge of global trade."
