LONDON — British officials have not denied that a potential trade deal with the United States would include concessions on agriculture.
The U.S. administration is planning to unveil so-called reciprocal tariffs on trading partners on Wednesday, dubbed “Liberation Day” by U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to The Times, an economic deal with the U.S. is “on the table and ready to sign,” and would include the lowering of tariffs on imports of U.S. beef, chicken and other meat.
Two U.K. officials refused to rule that out when approached by POLITICO on Tuesday. But hopes have faded the U.K. will be able to secure carve-outs before the tariffs take effect.
While food standards remain a red line in negotiations, which are expected to continue beyond Wednesday, giving U.S. producers greater access to the U.K. market would put Britain’s farmers — already infuriated by tax changes — under further pressure.
In an interview with Times Radio on Tuesday morning, U.K. Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said food standards were a “red line” for the U.K., suggesting Britain would not accept hormone-treated beef and chlorine-washed chicken, a major sticking point in previous negotiations.
“That’s a really important area and [one] we wouldn’t be able to negotiate on and the U.S. understands that position as do other countries,” he said. “So of course there’s a set of things you talk about and some things that you can’t. I absolutely believe an agreement is possible with the U.S.”
The U.K. is currently negotiating a new economic pact with the European Union which would prevent it from lowering its food standards.
However, Reynolds indicated that digital services tax could be on the table in a potential deal, describing it as “temporary imposition in lieu of a wider international agreement.”
UK won’t walk away from talks
During the interview, Reynolds conceded that tariffs would hit the U.K. before it could agree a deal with the U.S.
“I believe from where we are at the minute, the president wants this ‘Liberation Day’ tomorrow to apply to every country in the world and there’ll be no exemptions on that first day towards that,” he said. “If any country is able to reach an agreement with the U.S., I don’t believe there’s a country better placed than the U.K. because of the work that we have been doing.”
But he insisted that April 2 was “not a deadline,” adding, “If they take action tomorrow, that is not a reason to walk away from the potential to secure an agreement.”
The minister also said free speech had not been a “material factor” in trade negotiations with the U.S. Commerce Department or the Office of the US Trade Representative.
U.S. Vice-President JD Vance has previously accused European countries, including the U.K., of violating free speech.
Speaking at a press conference during U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Washington DC last month, Vance said there had been “infringements on free speech” in Britain, which “also affect American technology companies and, by extension, American citizens.”
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