Government hails trade deal with Gulf states ‘worth £3.7bn a year’ to UK economy

Sir Keir Starmer said the free trade agreement was ‘a huge win for British business’ (Stefan Rousseau/PA) - (PA Wire)

The UK has become the first G7 country to agree a trade deal with a bloc of Gulf states, in an agreement the Government said would boost the economy by an estimated £3.7 billion every year.

The deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – an alliance including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates – would also increase domestic wages by £1.9 billion annually in the long run, the Government said.