Sir Keir Starmer has been warned a comprehensive trade deal with the US under Donald Trump would “destroy our family farms and healthy food standards”.
The prime minister has been urged to rule out any agreement with the Americans that includes food and farming, with farmers warning their industry is already facing huge challenges after Labour’s “tractor tax” which they say will do “irreparable damage to farming businesses”.
Thousands of farmers descended on London to protest the changes, announced by Rachel Reeves in October, which mean farms valued at £1m or more will be liable for 20 per cent inheritance tax.
And despite farmers gearing up for another mass tractor rally in the capital, on Wednesday, 11 December, the outrage would pale in comparison to the backlash Sir Keir would face if he allowed American exports to undercut UK farmers by stocking chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef on Britain’s shelves.
Liz Webster, founder of the Save British Farming campaign group, told The Independent Sir Keir “doesn’t have a mandate for a US deal” and pointed to the PM’s promise to negotiate a veterinary agreement covering food and farm products with the EU.
“If Starmer allows US low-standard foods to dominate our supermarket shelves, there will be no chance of the EU agreeing to a veterinary agreement,” she said.
Ms Webster added: “Having won the keys to No 10, had Keir Starmer begun by dropping his ludicrous red lines on Brexit, growth would’ve returned, business would be happy and his popularity would’ve soared.
“Instead he has continued with intransigence on Brexit which is stifling growth and he has alienated most of the country by cutting the winter fuel payment, betraying farmers with a farm tax and hurting businesses with unaffordable tax hikes.
“Brexit was sold to the public with endless lies but in truth, Brexit was always about leaving the EU to join the US with a trade deal. But a USA deal means allowing chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef to destroy our family farms and healthy food standards.”
Her comments came after government sources told the Mail on Sunday the PM would not “sell out” British farmers with a US trade deal, in a boost for the beleaguered sector.
They indicated Sir Keir would pursue a deal on food trade with Brussels and pointed to the last four Conservative prime ministers, all of whom refused a deal with the US over the thorny issue of food standards.
Sir Keir has come under huge pressure from British farmers since Labour’s first Budget, which saw him dubbed “Keir Starmer the farmer harmer”.
But, in a sign Labour is worried about the fallout from the protests, the PM invited National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Tom Bradshaw to Downing Street, where he said Sir Keir struck “a more conciliatory tone”.
Mr Bradshaw said: “We are trying to give it a bit of room to breathe. He hasn’t guaranteed me anything but I think there is a general softening of lines and I don’t want to stoke the fire.”
He added: “The prime minister is very much in listening mode, and I hope that he’s able to act on what he’s heard this afternoon.
“We will continue to fight this. I want to work with the government but they are making it incredibly difficult.”
The NFU has previously said it would welcome a trade deal with the US if it ensured a level playing field, especially around animal welfare.
But it has said the priority should be the government striking a comprehensive deal with the EU.
Reacting to the anger over her decision to impose inheritance tax on farmers in the Budget, the chancellor last month stressed that she would protect British farming. “We’re not going to allow British farmers to be undercut by different rules and regulations,” Ms Reeves said.
A key sticking point in free-trade talks between the UK and the US is the issue of chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef, both of which are practices associated with factory farms in America.
