Why Starmer must not sell out UK farmers to make Trump trade deal

Labour should avoid any temptation to secure a trade deal with the US by allowing in American chlorinated chicken and other products that undercut our own farmers

In halls and homes around Scotland this weekend, people will be celebrating the life and legacy of Robert Burns. Glasses of whisky shall be toasted, freshly caught haggises shall be pierced – and a few satirical speeches (some no doubt a little ill-advised) shall be spoken.

Days after his second inauguration, I suspect that some of those speeches will try to make light of the return of President Trump. If you cannot laugh, you will cry.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As the saying goes, we need strength to change what we can, and wisdom to know what we cannot. We can look on with concern at a second Trump presidency, but that is in the hands of the American people.

What is in our hands is how we respond to this new government, in its words and in its actions. Nowhere is that likely to be more critical in these early months than on trade – whether promised deals or threatened tariffs.

Labour appears to hope that it will be able to make a UK-US trade deal with Donald Trump's administration (Picture: Jim Watson)Labour appears to hope that it will be able to make a UK-US trade deal with Donald Trump's administration (Picture: Jim Watson)
Labour appears to hope that it will be able to make a UK-US trade deal with Donald Trump's administration (Picture: Jim Watson) | AFP via Getty Images

Teetotaller Trump a whisky fan?

The mythical “trade deal with the United States” – of which there has been about as much evidence as unicorns and long-haired haggises – has captivated ministers of all parties for some years now. The new Labour government has seemingly picked up the baton with blithe assurances that some transformative agreement is possible. Whoever is pushing for a deal with the US, however, the problems remain the same.

The US President, it is often said, feels a strong attachment to Scotland as his mother’s home country. It would be nice to imagine that this would make him less inclined to target our economy with tariffs and trade barriers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It is also often noted, however, that he is a teetotaller – so whether he feels a strong attachment to Scotch whisky – our flagship export and one that has been targeted for tariffs in the past – may be somewhat less certain.

A high price

Trump may be capricious but we should not forget that US trade policy has been pretty hard-headed and one-sided, no matter which party has led it. Whether it is Trump or Biden or anyone else, the price that the US would exact in return for a trade deal with the UK would be a high price indeed.

US negotiators have never been shy about their interest in prying open our food and drink markets – carving up quality standards and undercutting our farmers and crofters. No amount of warm words from our (yet-to-be-accepted) Ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, can change the fact that this would be the price for any substantive trade deal.

Past governments have always bowed to the vociferous public opposition to chlorinated chicken and factory farms. I would like to believe that this red line will be maintained, but Labour have not proven to be the most sympathetic to farmers and food producers in recent months.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They should know by now – though we may yet have cause to remind them – that farmers will be watching closely and will be ready to respond. Labour may believe that they can thread this needle, or that they can get away with casting off farmers and food producers for other gains.

As Robert Burns reminds us, however – the best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.

Alistair Carmichael is the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland

Comments

 0 comments

Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.

Dare to be Honest
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice