Nigel Farage is wrong. We don’t want hormone-treated beef, GMO wheat and chlorinated chicken. British consumers and farmers are proud of the world-beating standards. Which? the consumer research organisation has consistently found that over 80 per cent of the public rejects American food imports.
Reform may not have a comprehensive policy platform, but what we've seen so far, an energy policy that jeopardises our energy security, an agricultural approach that undermines our farmers while lowering standards and a briefing for their thinktank on housing policy that asks how might they block housing, we should be concerned about what they might offer next!
Farmers and rural communities which are already up in arms about Labour’s Family Farm Tax, the removal of vital funding for rural councils and cuts to the financing for nature-friendly farming, are now facing the prospect of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party removing existing tariffs on American agricultural imports.
The reason? A sweetener to stop the erratic Donald Trump’s tariff war. They believe we can give up our food security to secure a trade deal.
The Conservative Party has long been a staunch defender of British farmers and British food. Our commitment to maintaining the highest animal welfare and food safety standards has made us a global leader in this field. We should be proud of our approach to agriculture which ensures not only the highest standards for our animals but also the best quality food for British consumers.
Whether it's our focus on banning live animal exports for slaughter or our efforts to ensure all slaughterhouses use CCTV, we have consistently pushed for reforms that improve standards, rather than diminish them.
What is Starmer willing to sacrifice to get a US trade deal? We farmers have an inkling - James Wright
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We have held Labour to account, forcing debates and votes in parliament on the Family Farm Tax. Forcing Labour MPs to turn against their party and back the farmers who elected them.
In constituencies across the country, it's Conservative MPs who are meeting with and working with rural community leaders to cope with Labour’s cuts.
What Starmer seems to be suggesting is a compromise of these hard-won achievements. Any trade agreement that would allow cheaper food produced under lower standards to be imported into the UK with no tariffs or quotas will damage farming.
It is those same farmers who protect our environment, clear the roads of snow during the winter and produce the nation’s food. It would create an unfair competitive advantage for foreign producers who do not adhere to the same stringent rules.
The Prime Minister has rightly said that everything must be on the table when negotiating trade deals, but the protection of our domestic industries, our jobs, and, crucially, our food security must be a non-negotiable priority. Starmer’s willingness to compromise on tariffs would only add to the economic pressures we already face.
We must resist any attempts to undermine British farming, and instead, ensure that our farmers are equipped to thrive in the global marketplace. We mustn't backtrack on the progress we have made on animal welfare and food safety. Let’s be clear, a trade deal that undermines our standards and harms British agriculture is not one we should support.
In the face of Labour’s broken promises and dangerous policy proposals, the Conservative Party remains unwavering in our commitment to British farmers. We will always fight for profitable farming, fair trade, and the long-term success of British agriculture. Starmer must be held to account for any actions that would put British food production at risk.
