SNP’s Todd warns of ‘damaging back-room trade deal’ with USA
Highlands and Islands MSP Maree Todd has warned that farmers and food producers could be hit by a post-Brexit trade deal with the USA – after the US ambassador reiterated demands for major concessions from the UK.
The SNP member warned that the Conservative Party in Westminster was preparing a “damaging back-room trade deal with Donald Trump”. The US president is in London this week as part of a state visit but Ms Todd is not impressed with his approach to food standards.
She said: “The Trump administration wants the UK to accept lower food safety standards than exist within the European Union, allowing US products such as chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef to be sold in the UK – undercutting our own food producers.”
The US ambassador this week confirmed that a future trade deal would require access to “the entire economy”, potentially impacting other sectors such as the NHS, said Ms Todd. She is also concerned that Scottish products, such as beef, whisky, Arbroath smokies could lose their protected status after Brexit – allowing “cheap-knock offs” to be sold.
“Scotland has top-quality food safety standards, in line with the rest of the EU, protecting consumers and our world-renowned Scottish produce.
“But that’s now under threat, with the Tories planning to sell out Scottish food producers as part of a damaging back-room trade deal with Donald Trump.
“As a member of the EU, local products like Scotch beef, whiskey [sic] and cheeses have been protected from cheap market knock-offs – we can’t allow the Tories to take a take a wrecking ball to our booming food and drink sector here in Highlands and Islands.”
She said the prospect of a “damaging trade-deal” with the USA was another reason why Brexit must be stopped.
David Spence
It does not surprise me that the Tories would prefer a relationship (and lowering of standards) with the USA, in regard to ‘ any trade deal ‘ as long as they benefit from such a deal.
It is such ashame we have come to a level where we are being forced to lower our standards in terms of food production and quality just to suit a market of 300 or so million people, when the quality and high standards of the EU is taking second place.
A simple but damaging case of profits first, standards and quality second.
I sincerely hope Shetland and the great food products it produces does not lower its standards and quality for the sake of the ‘ quick buck mentality ‘………which I am pretty sure it will not?
Steven Jarmson
In negotiations, size matters.
I assume the Scottosh Nationalist Party would want a trade deal with the USA?
If they don’t they’re dummer than we all know they are.
Is Todd paving the way for post-independence lowering of standards.
Its quite clearly obvious, the large UK will get a better deal than tiny Scotland.
Ian Tinkler
“She said the prospect of a “damaging trade-deal” with the USA was another reason why Brexit must be stopped.” I do not wish to be rude but what does this daft lady/ woman (hate to be misogynistic) want? No deal with the USA? Heads up arses and just carry on regardless. Follow the SNP and Salmond’s legacy? Follow Sturgeon and delete our e-mails, just like Hilary C? I have little time for Trump but compared with Salmond he may be a saint. We are leaving the EU so Trade deals may be a good idea. Regarding chlorinated chicken, it has far less chemical contaminents than Arbroath Smokies, but so what! (both are perfectly safe)