THE First Minister has said if she had anything to do with the decision, former Australian PM Tony Abbott would not have a key trade role in the UK.

The former PM looks set to be appointed joint-president of the UK Board of Trade after Brexit, a move which has proved controversial due to his previous comments about women, the LGBT community and the coronavirus crisis.

On Sky News this morning Matt Hancock was quoted some of Abbott’s comments and told: “He’s a homophobe and misogynist.”

The Tory minister responded simply: “Well he’s also an expert in trade.”

Kay Burley was shocked by the response, asking Hancock: “So one plays off against the other?! Really? Is that really what you’re saying Health Secretary? Come on.”

Hancock denied this and again pushed Abbott’s “expertise”.

Later in the programme Nicola Sturgeon was asked about Abbott’s comments, and Hancock’s praise for the former PM.

Burley told the First Minister: “Tony Abbott, the former Australian prime minister, said it might have been better if elderly people were left to die from the effects of Covid. He may well be a trade ambassador or a trade envoy for the United Kingdom after Brexit. What do you think?”

Sturgeon replied: “Well if I had anything to do with that decision he wouldn’t be a trade envoy for the United Kingdom, it’s not, unfortunately, my decision. The comments you just quoted there from Tony Abbott I think are disgraceful. You’re right, the death toll in our care homes is too high – it’s something I will deeply regret for as long as I live but the idea that anybody would take that view I think is deeply offensive.”

The journalist then said: “But he’s very good on trade, we heard from the Health Secretary. He knows a lot about trade.”

READ MORE: Matt Hancock shrugs off anger over 'homophobe and misogynist' Tony Abbott

The First Minister did not hold back in her response, branding Abbott a “sexist, misogynist, climate change denier”

She told the programme: “Well I’ll take the Health Secretary’s word for that. But trade is not separate from the values and the reputation that a country wants to project internationally.  

“Trade in many respects should reflect these values – there should be ethics attached to any country’s trading profile.

“You cannot simply say well he’s good at trade so it doesn’t matter that he’s a sexist, misogynist, climate change denier. I think having somebody with those views representing the UK probably doesn’t help us boost trade, it might actually hinder that.”

Yesterday Tory chairwoman of the Women and Equalities Committee, Caroline Nokes, said on Politics Live that Abbott should not be “anywhere near our Board of Trade”.

The Tory MP, the first to hit out at the potential appointment, described the former PM as “awful” and added: “Is he the sort of man I want to be representing us globally? No.”

Abbott was famously confronted in the Australian parliament by his predecessor Julia Gillard. The former PM challenged him over his misogyny in a video which went viral online.