After a statement from Indian minister Mr Kamal Nath, British trade and industry secretary Mr Alan Johnson also attacked French protectionism as the political fight over Mittal’s bid intensified. Mr Johnson warned against any attempts to "repel the surge of globalisation", saying measures to protect "key industries from foreign takeovers" among the UK’s European neighbours were "futile and self-defeating." He said, "There are advocates of protectionism amongst some of our closest European neighbours. Measures to protect key industries from foreign takeovers where there are no state security issues are futile and self-defeating. The paradox of protectionism is that it destroys what it seeks to protect."
