Good afternoon,
Should food standards be taken off the table in trade negotiations? Lords, and many MPs think it should whereas Downing Street thinks it should not. The Agriculture Bill returns next week and there could be a Conservative rebellion. Do you have questions about trade deals? Do they seem abstract, complex, and all about tariffs? Our new podcast on trade deals has experts clearly explaining how they impact food standards, and how the parliamentary process works. As usual we look at key parliamentary dates and events ahead, and recommend reading for your Friday.
Enjoy,
Jacob
In Politics
Food Rebellion on the Horizon?
Downing Street rejects Lords amendments protecting food standards in trade deals
Backbench Conservative MPs potentially to rebel next week
Kath Dalmeny, CEO of Sustain, talks in detail about the need to protect food standards on This Is Important: Trade Deals
This week the Times reported that Downing Street is going to reject demands for tougher food standards when negotiating future trade deals and therefore reject Lords amendments to the Agriculture Bill when they come to the Commons next Monday.
This rejection of two amendments by the Lords, one to create an independent agriculture commission to scrutinise trade deals, and another to require food imports to meet or exceed UK standards, is seen as a political win for Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for International Trade. She sees these guarantees of food standards as tying the hands of trade negotiators.
Speaking in the House of Commons this week, Truss emphasised in response to questions about guaranteeing food standards that “We are absolutely clear that we are going to stand up for our high standards in any deal we strike, including with the United States, and make sure that the high standards our farmers operate to will not be undermined.”
The rejection of the amendments by Downing Street and Truss is not straightforward though. There is likely to be a rebellion on the Conservative backbenchers. The Times reports “two dozen...prepared to defy the whip” and back in August the Daily Mail also reported a potential rebellion on the issue.
Kath Dalmeny, CEO of Sustain, explains why this political argument is so important in our podcast, This Is Important (9:04 for specific segment). Kath explains that there is an an argument specifically about “whether or not the agriculture bill could say, the food standards we enjoy now should be maintained in law” because the impact is that negotiators wouldn't be able to use food standards “as a bargaining chip” and consequently this may limit the financial size of trade deals from certain trade partners who are keen to get into the UK, and European, food markets.
Jamie Oliver has also run a public campaign to protect these food standards from being traded away in trade negotiations.
It remains to be seen how big the potential rebellion will be on Monday but food standards are an important issue that crosses party lines. Many MPs represent farmers, and other food producers who make high quality high standard food who could be at risk if cheap imports (cheap due to lower standards) come into the UK.
In Policy
This Is Important: Trade Deals
Episode two of our new podcast series is now out
This episode explains how trade deals happen and their impact on our rights and standards
Listen on bit.ly/This_Is_Important or search “This Is Important” in your podcast app
Trade deals have risen in importance in the UK over the last four years because of the UK leaving the EU. Previously the EU was responsible for negotiating trade deals but this now falls to the UK post-Brexit.
Trade deals are complex, and technical documents that can run to thousands of pages long. Increasingly they are touching far more than simply trade. Trade deals affect our rights and standards, the food we eat, and the regulations we make.
In this episode of our podcast, This Is Important, I speak to experts on trade learning how trade deals happen, what needs to change about the process, how they impact our standards and what we can do to protect them.
Ruth Bergan, a senior advisor at the Trade Justice Movement, explains how trade deals generally come about and what they are for. She also details the UK parliamentary process, how excluded MPs and devolved administrations currently are, and what needs to change to make the process more democratic.
Kath Dalmeny, CEO of Sustain, talks to me about how food standards are impacted by trade deals. You will hear from Kath about how food standards are changed by trade deals, from baby food ingredients to public health measures implemented by devolved administrations. Find out what needs to be included in deals to protect our standards and what you can do to protect them.
Importantly these two experts break down a complex issue that impacts everyone but bewilders many when engaging with the issue. You will learn what things mean, how it works, and what you can do about it all!
Search “This Is Important” in your favourite podcast app or click the button below. We are on all the major platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Overcast and more.
LISTEN HERE
In Parliament
Watch Commons, Lords, and Committee sessions free on parliamentlive.tv
House of Commons
Monday 12th
Consideration of Lords amendments - Agriculture Bill
Tuesday 13th
Legislation Fisheries bill: remaining stages
Wednesday 14th
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee - Oral evidence - UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 8:45am to 12:30pm. Location: Virtual meeting
Transport Committee - Oral evidence - Brexit preparedness in the transport sector. 9:30am to 12:00pm. Location: The Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House
International Trade Committee - Oral evidence - UK trade remedies policy. 2:00pm to 4:30pm. Location:Virtual meeting
Thursday 15th
Oral questions - Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (including Topical Questions)
Welsh Affairs Committee - Oral evidence - Internal Market Bill. 8:40am to 11:30am. Location: The Macmillan Room, Portcullis House
Friday 16th
Private Members' Bills - European Citizens’ Rights Bill: Second Reading - Christine Jardine
House of Lords
Monday 12th
Legislation - Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill - third reading
Tuesday 13th
Legislation - Trade Bill - committee stage (day 5)
Thursday 15th
Legislation - Trade Bill - committee stage (day 6)
In Events
The EU Settlement Scheme across the UK: challenges ahead
When: 15:00 to 16:00 Tuesday 27th October
Where: Online
The Brexit Civil Society Alliance are bringing together political and civil society representatives from across the UK to discuss challenges with the EU Settlement Scheme, particularly in the context of devolution.
Speakers confirmed: Clare Hanna MP, Bethan Bateman (Welsh Government), Hayley Morgan (TGP Cymru), Noelia Martinez (Citizens' Rights Project), Una Boyd (Committee on the Administration of Justice): Further information to follow.
In this event our speakers will explore problems with the scheme, different experiences and issues across the four parts of the UK, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead. After a panel discussion we will open the floor to questions from the audience.
Recommended Reading
“The mystery of the vanished Environment Bill” on Insidetrack
“Boris Johnson set for compromise on Human rights Act - EU sources” in the Guardian
“Nissan and Toyota want Brexit payouts” in the Times