Tim Farron calls for MPs to be given a vote on UK-US trade deal

Following this morning’s breaking news that a trade deal between the UK and the US is set to be announced later today, Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has urged ministers to give MPs a vote on the deal.

During DEFRA Questions this morning in Parliament, Tim warned that a trade deal which relaxed restrictions on importing US agricultural products could risk undermining UK animal welfare standards, and lead to British farmers being “thrown under a bus”.

Speaking on the floor of the House of Commons, Tim said: “Has the Secretary of State been consulted by the Prime Minister over the potential impact on British farmers of  the US-UK trade deal?

“US animal welfare standards as a matter of fact are worse than ours, which means their input costs are less and so to allow equal access is not free trade.

“It is unfair trade and throwing our farmers under the bus, just like the Conservatives did in their deal with Australia and New Zealand.

“So will he support Liberal Democrat calls for this deal to only be signed if it supports farmers, and after a vote from this House?

Responding, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said: “I thank him for his question. Of course, there have been no announcements yet, so I won't be able to, pre-empt what those might be.

“But we have been crystal clear. We have red lines in this, we will not be allowing British farmers to be undercut on environmental or welfare standards in the way that the Conservatives did when they agreed a trade deal with Australia that undercut British farmers and caused immense damage to them

“We will never go the way of the Tories. We will stand foursquare behind our farmers and I'm delighted to hear the Liberal Democrats feel the same.”