UK’S farming unions call for MPS to reject no deal
With uncertainty continuing to grow over the future of Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, the UK’S four farming unions have urged MPS to avoid a no-deal option at all costs – claiming such an outcome would be “catastrophic” for the nation’s food and farming sector.
In a letter to all MPS ahead of next week’s “meaningful vote” on the issue, the organisations have hammered home the implications of exiting without a deal. They said that the resulting trade embargo on the export of UK animals and animal-based products would cause huge disruption, while many sectors would face exorbitant customs tariffs, including rates of 65 per cent on beef, 46 per cent on lamb and 27 per cent on chicken.
The unions also warned of impacts on farm production as a result of the government potentially choosing to unilaterally lower the UK’S import tariffs to control food price inflation – which they said would result in the UK market being open to imports of food produced to standards lower than those of UK farmers.
“Brexit will mean that, for the first time in a generation, UK politicians will have direct responsibility for ensuring our nation is properly fed,” wrote the unions.
“Yet, in the face of this fundamental responsibility, there is a very real risk that a disorderly Brexit will lead to an immediate reliance on overseas imports, produced to lower standards, while many UK farms struggle to survive.”
The four unions – NFU, NFU Scotland, NFU Cymru and the Ulster Farmers Union – said that the implications, not only for domestic food supply but also for the careful management of the UK’S countryside, would represent a historic political failure.
They also reiterated that they remained committed to playing their part in managing Brexit in the best interests of farmers and the UK public in the years ahead – but said that leaving without a deal on 29 March would quickly lead to the opposite outcome.
“We urge MPS, in light of the central role Parliament will play in the coming days in resolving this impasse, to recognise the severe impact no deal will have and to take all steps necessary to avoid such a departure coming to pass.”