Lords farm rebellion over ‘toothless’ Truss

LIZ Truss is facing a new Tory revolt amid mounting anger that she is failing to protect UK farms against low-quality food imports.

The International Trade Secretary is being warned to face humiliating defeats in Parliament this week over her ‘toothless’ defences against sub-standard foreign food in post-Brexit trade deals.

In a series of House of Lords votes, Tory rebels are poised to join Labour and independent peers to order Ms Truss to beef up her trade deal watchdog – the Trade and Agriculture Commission – and let Parliament protect family farms.

But the defeats would also set up the prospect of further Tory revolts in the Commons when MPs debate the plans in a few weeks.

Last night, Conservative rebels urged Ms Truss to reach a lastminute compromise. Tory peer Baroness McIntosh of Pickering warned that without it many British farms could ‘go to the wall’, adding: ‘They are prepared to meet high standards, but we must have a level playing field and must not undercut those standards with sub-standard imports.’

The Government points to the

2019 Tory manifesto commitment to uphold food and animal welfare standards in post-Brexit trade talks.

But farm and food campaigners are demanding it meets that pledge by increasing the powers of the Commission set up in July and making the body permanent.

In the Lords this week, crossbench peer Lord Curry will insist it is put on a statutory footing and reports on all trade agreements before they are signed. But last night Ms Truss signalled she would not back down.

A source said: ‘Liz recognises the concerns of Lord Curry, but thinks the current scope of the Commission is sufficient.’