Tim Farron asks Foreign Secretary to allow MPs to vote on controversial Australia trade deal

On the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon, South Lakes MP Tim Farron asked government ministers to allow MPs to be given the final say on the new trade deal with Australia.

The RSPCA have warned that the deal will "betray the public, farmers and animals" and could set back animal welfare by decades.

Meanwhile the NFU have described the deal as "one-sided" and "damaging".

Speaking during Foreign Office Oral Questions in Parliament, Tim said: "The Foreign Secretary has concluded a trade deal with Australia, which advantages those who produce their food using animal welfare standards far worse than those met by Cumbrian farmers or British farmers in general.

"So when will those of us who care about farming and animal welfare standards get a chance to vote on that deal?"

Responding, Liz Truss MP said: "Unlike the honourable gentleman, I have faith in Cumbrian farmers, and I believe that they are world-beating, and Cumbrian lamb is world-beating.

"So I encourage the honourable gentleman to get behind the new trade deal that we are negotiating -the CPTPP. Why does he not go out to the Asia-Pacific region and promote his farmers, rather than talking them down in the House of Commons?"

Commenting afterwards, Tim said: "As flattered as I am by the Foreign Secretary's offer to travel to Asia, I would much rather stay here and fight against her government's despicable plans to throw British farming under a bus."