British government ministers have defended a plan to hand a senior trade role to former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott amid mounting pressure to drop him over allegations of homophobia and misogyny.
Downing Street insists no decision has been made, but Mr Abbott is in talks to become joint president of the relaunched Board of Trade.
Critics have raised numerous concerns, including over the Australian politician's climate change scepticism and belief that coronavirus restrictions should be lifted.
Mr Abbott has previously said that he feels "a bit threatened" by homosexuality, opposed same-sex marriage being made legal in Australia and was accused of misogyny by his countrywoman and fellow former prime minister, Julia Gillard.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock, wearing an NHS badge with the LGBTQ rainbow flag, was questioned on Sky News over the suitability of Mr Abbott, who led his nation from 2013 until he was ousted by his own party in 2015.
Mr Hancock said he does not believe that Mr Abbott is homophobic or misogynistic and, when pressed, added: "He's also an expert in trade."
The health secretary told Sky News presenter Kay Burley: "I bow to nobody in my support for everybody to love who they love.
"But we need to have the best experts in the world working in their field and the former prime minister of Australia has a huge amount of experience," he added.
"Tony Abbott is a homophobe and a misogynist"
— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) September 3, 2020
Health Sec @MattHancock: "He's also an expert on trade"#KayBurley
JM pic.twitter.com/92IFWVcDYH
British opposition MPs were highly critical of this defence, with shadow minister Peter Kyle saying ministers "don't even pretend not to embrace bigots any more".
Labour leader Keir Starmer said in an interview: "I have real concerns about Tony Abbott and I don't think he's the right person for the job. If I was prime minister I would not appoint him."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Mr Abbott's coronavirus views are "deeply offensive and wrong" and he is not fit to be a trade envoy.
"But Tony Abbott, before these comments, is a misogynist, he's a sexist, he's a climate change denier," she told Sky News.
"Trade is not separate from the values and the reputation that a country wants to project internationally."
International Trade Secretary Liz Truss was later grilled in the Westminster House of Commons about the planned appointment.
Ms Truss said: "I think it's absolute hypocrisy to hear this type of argument from the Labour Party.
"The reality is they'd rather virtue-signal and indulge in tokenism rather than take real action to improve the lives of women."
International trade minister Greg Hands welcomed Mr Abbott in his willingness to "help this country out".
An official spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted that "no decision" on the board's make-up had been made and declined to comment on the "political debate" surrounding Mr Abbott.
