Boris Johnson left the prospect of an open trade agreement with Australia, aimed at eliminating tariffs on food products, after representatives from Scotland and Wales urged him to rule out abolishing tariffs on meat, according to Bloomberg.
In response to MPs, the British prime minister dismissed this possibility, citing “big things” that British farmers could do with the country’s free trade agreements.
“Why are you so afraid of free trade?” Asked Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party. “There is a huge opportunity for Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole, and I must take advantage of it,” he said.
The prime minister’s responses envision support for an agreement with Australia that would allow duty-free access to UK food markets.
However, the National Union of British Farmers has already warned that many farms will face serious difficulties if they have to compete with duty-free imports of beef and lamb.
“Farmers will lose their livelihoods, rural businesses will collapse, and in the end, families will be driven from the land,” Blackford said.
