Conservative trade deals will put Cumbrian farmers out of business, MP tells Minister

On the floor of the House of Commons last night, local MP Tim Farron warned ministers that the Conservative Government's trade deals with Australia and New Zealand threaten the future of farmers in Cumbria.

It comes after the Conservatives' former DEFRA Secretary George Eustice said that the deal with Australia negotiated by the Government was "not actually a very good deal for the UK" and that it "gave away far too much for far too little in return".

Speaking during a debate in Parliament, Tim said: "The Liberal Democrats are very strongly in favour of free trade, but we also believe that free trade has to be fair. Let me take him back to his earlier comments about the strategic value of this. Does he understand that trade deals must have strategic value when it comes to protecting our ability to feed ourselves as a country?

"Does he understand why those of us who represent rural communities are deeply concerned about the imbalance that exists between farm standards on this side of the world and those in New Zealand and Australia on the other? We think that might undermine our ability to feed ourselves because it will put British farmers out of business."

In response, the Trade Minister Greg Hands said: "I look forward to the honourable member actually supporting one of these trade deals.

"I have already pointed out the safeguards that exist in both deals: the long transition period and the substantial tariff-rate quotas. I am talking about all of the protections and safeguards that are in those deals for British farmers - the non-regression clauses on animal welfare, for example, which will prevent Australia or any other country from seeking to gain a trade advantage if they were to weaken their animal welfare rules.

"I will be frank, though; I have seen no evidence that Australia will be looking to do that, but the deal does have protection for our farmers and our consumers."