Boris Johnson Facing Fresh Tory Rebellion Over Cheap US Food Imports
Boris Johnson is facing a fresh rebellion intended to stop the UK importing cheap quality food as part of post-Brexit free trade deals with Donald Trump’s United States or other countries.
Tory MPs are uniting around plans to beef up the Agriculture Commission set up by Trade Secretary Liz Truss earlier this year amid an outcry over the prospect of chlorinated chicken or hormone-fed beef being sold in the UK.
Peers are on Tuesday set to pass an amendment which would give the commission legal powers to make recommendations to parliament on how the UK maintains food standards in trade deals.
Tory MPs have been lobbying Truss to adopt the plans, but a Whitehall source made clear that she “does not believe what is being proposed is the right approach” – setting up a parliamentary showdown when the Agriculture Bill returns to the Commons.
One of the MPs involved in the campaign said up to 30 Tories are already prepared to rebel, giving the prime minister a fresh headache after he moved to quell a revolt on his law-breaking Brexit plans.
Tory MP Neil Parish, who chairs the Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee, said Lord Curry’s amendment would help reassure the public, who care “very deeply” about food standards.
He told HuffPost UK: “The Lord Curry amendment will beef up the role of the commission which is currently due to report and dissolve in just three months’ time.
“If passed, the commission would produce recommendations in a report to parliament, but then also a report on every draft international trade agreement too.
“With many more trade deals coming down the line, from the US to Brazil much later, we will need the commission to provide useful recommendations and proper scrutiny on issues of food safety, the environment, and animal welfare for the length of this parliament.
“This Lords amendment ensures the commission is not just a sop to be rolled up and forgotten, but a commission which will provide valuable expertise...
