Chaos over chlorine chicken
Gove vows to block it from US trade deal ... but Fox plays down health fears
A CABINET row over the details of a post-Brexit trade deal with the US burst into the open yesterday when Michael Gove vowed to block the import of cheap chlorine-washed chicken.
The Environment Secretary appeared to veto plans to lift the ban on controversial US farm produce as part of a wider trade deal.
Mr Gove said the Government wanted the UK to remain a ‘leader in environmental standards’ after leaving the EU and warned against any ‘compromise’ on animal welfare.
His comments came hours after Dr Liam Fox said there was ‘no health issue’ with the US practice of washing chicken carcasses in heavily chlorinated water to reduce the risk of bacteria.
The International Trade Secretary is supported by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who believes a comprehensive free trade deal with the US could cut food prices for consumers and open up new markets for British farmers.
But Mr Gove is backed by Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, who preceded him as environment secretary, and who believes allowing in cheap imports would be unpopular with consumers and would undercut farmers in this country.
Last night government sources said no decision had been reached on whether to allow cheap American food – such as chlorine-washed chickens, hormone-fed beef and genetically modified ingredients – into the UK as part of a trade deal.
But Mr Gove made it clear that he would oppose any watering down of existing food and animal welfare standards.
Asked if chlorinated chickens would be allowed, he said: ‘No. I have made it perfectly clear, and indeed this is something on which all members of the Government are agreed, that we are not going to dilute our high animal welfare standards, or our high environmental standards, in pursuit of any trade deal.’
Pressed on whether Britain would say no to a US free trade deal if America insisted on access for its farmers, he added: ‘Yes, critically, we need to ensure that we do not compromise those standards.’
The US has made it clear that it expects agriculture to be included in any trade talks.
Dr Fox, who is pushing for an early and comprehensive trade deal with the US, has made it clear he is open to lifting restrictions on US food imports which are currently governed by EU regulations.
The International Trade Secretary, who has been in Washington this week for preliminary talks on trade, rounded on the ‘obsession’ of some media critics with the issue of chlorinated chickens, dismissing it as a ‘detail’.
Asked about the practice, he said: ‘There is no health issue with that – the European Union has said that is perfectly safe.
‘The issue lies around some of the secondary issues of animal welfare and it’s perfectly reasonable for people to raise that but it will come much further down the road.
‘We will want to ensure that the scientific advice that we have ensures proper protection for British consumers because dropping our standards is not the way for Britain.’
Brexit gives ministers the chance to shape new farming policies and standards. These have previously been set by Brussels.
Hormone-fed beef is banned because the European Food Safety Authority says there is insufficient data to assess potential risks to human health. Washing butchered chickens in chlorinated water is banned by the EU.
The sale of GM food, which is standard in the US, is not illegal in Europe. But it has to be clearly marked, so little GM food is currently sold in the UK.