Ministers must do what is best for Britain, not Trump, says Labour

LABOUR has said the Government has a choice between backing British farmers or Donald Trump in a battle to enshrine high food standards in law after Brexit.

Shadow Environment Secretary Luke Pollard said he was expecting to see a Conservative rebellion when the Agriculture Bill returns to the Commons on October 12, and that the party’s MPs in former “red wall” seats would have an opportunity to prove themselves.

The House of Lords last month passed an amendment to strengthen the newly- formed Trade and Agriculture Commission to give it more powers.

And the campaign has gained support from celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall as well as fitness coach Joe Wicks.

Mr Pollard said: “At the moment, the Trade and Agriculture Commission is a sound bite. It’s not a proper body that could stop a trade deal that undercuts our farmers.

“It’s not just politics, I think there is a genuine risk that not just in a US trade deal, but a trade deal with Australia, our farmers will be undercut by industrial agriculture, and methods that would be illegal if they were used in the UK.”

Mr Pollard said Labour was not just concerned about the often used examples of chlorinated chicken and hormone- treated beef.

He said the Government had defeated attempts for MPs to scrutinise new trade deals, and warned: “We’re running out of chances to protect our farmers.”

And he added words of caution to new Conservative MPs in rural areas, as he said: “For lots of Tory MPs in rural seats that have farms in their constituencies, especially those that won those seats from Labour in the last election, this is a key test about who they’re standing up for.

“The Government is on the wrong side of public opinion.

“They have a choice about whether they back the British public and ourfarmers, or whether they side with Donald Trump.”