One of the benefits of becoming an independent country again is the ability to forge new trading relationships with countries such as the U.S. and Japan. This week, the Trade Secretary officially launched new trade negotiations with Japan and discussions which are already underway with the U.S.
At the same time, the government recently published the Agriculture Bill which marks the first domestic farming policy for over half a century, with decisions about agriculture previously being made on our behalf in Brussels.
Recently, these two huge areas of progress – on trade and agriculture, have come together to create feelings of both excitement about future opportunities, but also concern that food standards will be put at risk.
British consumers rightly expect high welfare standards and if our trading partners want to break into the UK market, they will be required to meet those standards. It is absolutely right that our high environmental, animal welfare and food standards should not be compromised.
Going forward we will be continuing with the same strong food safety provisions including existing import requirements banning any products that have used artificial growth hormones and no other decontaminate other than potable water is approved to decontaminate poultry carcasses. The UK’s food regulators will continue to provide independent advice to ensure that all food imports comply with those safety standards.
Any efforts, therefore, by campaign groups to place restrictions on trade will only serve to hold our country and indeed our county back. Liberalising commerce to help people engage with each other is the key to innovation that brings better, higher paying jobs at home and abroad.
Some have called for an unnecessary fight with key trading partners like the U.S. who would inevitably resist any protectionist measures thus imperilling all the benefits of a potential trade agreement. Such moves are unnecessary.
Farmers, manufacturers, and our formidable services sector will all benefit from free trade. It has been shown that wherever economies have traded freely, they have grown, they have created jobs, and improved income for many workers.
Coming out of this coronavirus crisis, we should all be focused on how we come out of this strong and I believe that forging new markets for our businesses is one sure fire way of doing that.
