Of all the pledges that led to
Public Group active 3 years, 1 month agoOf all the pledges that led to ‘s landslide election victory last year, ‘Get Done’ is surely the most famous.
But every Conservative MP elected then stood on another important promise.We vowed that as we regained our independent, free-trading status, we would maintain the UK’s reputation for world-class food and animal welfare standardsThe manifesto said: ‘In all of our trade negotiations, we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards.’That means we should not allow food not produced to our high quality levels – such as hormone-fed beef or chlorinated chicken – into the UK as the price for securing lucrative trade deals.I would like us to make good on that manifesto pledge in the following way. Ex-environment secretary Theresa Villiers says the world will buy British if the PM makes good on his manifesto pledgeFirstly, we should establish a powerful, independent body of food, farming, welfare and environmental experts to advise Ministers on each and every trade deal.And https://www.cruisewhat.com/what-does-the-cross-mean-in-nutrition-labels-and-what-is-it-going-to-take-to-make-it-meaningful/ secondly, we must ensure that Parliament has the final say on overseeing those deals.The International Trade Secretary insists that the Government, by establishing a new temporary Trade and Agriculture Commission, has already done enough.While this new advisory commission is welcome, it is not sufficient.
We cannot have a food and trade deal watchdog that, on current plans, expires in less than six months’ time and before most future trade deals are finalised.It needs to be set up on a statutory, permanent basis, report to Parliament and have a wider, fully representative panel of members.
Parliament must have a vital role in devising future trade deals – with a vote setting out general principles for draft trade deal negotiations and a simple ‘Yes/No’ vote when they are concluded. That would fulfil the key Brexit message of ‘take back control’ and mirror how the US Congress oversees trade deals in Washington.Of course, it is the Government that negotiates trade agreements but it should be in partnership with MPs.I appeal to Ministers to accept these proposals and heed The Mail on Sunday’s own Save Our Family Farms campaign.I would also urge them to listen to top chefs such as Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who have joined up with charities and celebrities to lobby against sub-standard food being allowed into our country through an open letter to the Prime Minister, published in this newspaper today, left.MPs will next month have another chance to take a stand when we vote on the final stages of the Agriculture Bill and when we can back sensible amendments passed in the House of Lords.But it would be far better if the Government and backbenchers came together now to back a sensible compromise – a tougher version of the Commission already set up combined with a stronger role for Parliament.That would confirm the Prime Minister’s steadfast commitment to high standards of food and animal welfare.It would also help secure the goal set out so clearly in our manifesto that ‘we want people, both at home and abroad, to be lining up to buy British’. EXCLUSIVE: Don’t trade away our children’s future: Chef Jamie Oliver joins Mail on Sunday’s war on toxic US food as Boris Johnson is urged to block sub-standard food from flooding into the UK under post-Brexit trade dealsA powerful alliance of chefs, celebrities and charities today urges Boris Johnson to block sub-standard foods from flooding into the UK under post-Brexit trade deals.In a heartfelt open letter, stars including Jamie Oliver and fitness guru Joe Wicks call on the Prime Minister not to ‘trade away our children’s futures’ in the negotiations.The move comes as International Trade Secretary Liz Truss faces growing Parliamentary pressure to bolster protections against poor quality foreign food – and save British farms from being put out of business by cheap imports.In a crunch Commons debate expected within the next fortnight, MPs will vote on new plans to give watchdogs on the Trade and Agriculture Commission the power to enforce high food standards.The letter – also backed by BBC Countryfile presenter Anita Rani, chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and charities including the RSPB and RSPCA – demands assurances that ‘lower-standard’ meat, such as US-produced chlorinated chicken or hormone-fed beef, will not be sold in British stores or served in restaurants and canteens after we exit the EU’s standards regime.And they say that the Covid-19 pandemic has ‘raised the stakes’ because ‘now, more than ever, we need to make sure everyone has access to affordable, good quality and sustainable food to help people be healthier, happier and more resilient’. Chefs Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall demand assurances that ‘lower-standard’ meat, such as US-produced chlorinated chicken or hormone-fed beef, will not be sold in British stores or served in restaurants and canteens after we exit the EU’s standards regime Fitness guru Joe Wicks has also called on the Prime Minister not to ‘trade away our children’s futures’ in the negotiations The letter sent by an alliance of chefs, celebrities and charities to the Prime Minister If you are using the app, click . <div class="art-ins mol-factbox floatRHS news" data-version="2" id="mol-eafffc00-003a-11eb-b561-0bb53f869c29" website our farmers Boris, writes THERESA VILLIERS
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