UK trade agreement with Australia could end up another Brexit failure - Yorkshire Post Letters

A UK trade arrangement with Australia, signed in December 2021 and hailed by Boris Johnson as a “new dawn” and “global Britain at its best” has been criticised by George Eustice, former environmental secretary and now back bencher, who now admits the deal “is not very good for Britain” because the “UK gave away far too much for far too little in return”.

He now admits the deal will be bad for UK beef and lamb farmers because Australian products are produced to lower standards involving antibiotics and pesticides which are illegal in the UK leaving British farmers disadvantaged.

Environmentalists, animal welfare and food campaigners complained that Australia has a poor record on animal welfare and uses deforestation to expand beef production damaging the environment and biodiversity.

Eustice is also concerned that the deal could open UK doors to other markets unless adequate safeguards are put in place.

This last point is important because the Government wants to join the CPTPP the (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Transpacific Partnership) a trade agreement involving 11 Pacific countries, which could force down standards to a new low leading to further reductions in animal welfare, food standards, more damage to the environment and UK farming; he admits the CPTPP will require proper Parliamentary scrutiny, something the Australian deal did not receive.

It’s bizarre that Brexiteer George Eustice now admits the Australian trade agreement that he negotiated, will be a failure for the UK – it’s a pity he could not have stood up for British farmers, consumers and environmentalists before the agreement was made.

It sounds like the Australian trade deal will be yet another Brexit failure.