This is explosive. Details of the secret trade negotiations between the US and Britain have been leaked. And they show that Donald Trump is firmly calling the shots in these talks, threatening our public services, our food standards and our ability to control big business.
Please help us spread the word about these leaked papers – it’s so important people hear about them before 12 December:
It’s no wonder the government didn’t want us to see these papers: they make a mockery of Boris Johnson’s manifesto pledge to protect British public services and standards – which would be absolutely impossible under the type of trade deal being discussed here. They also show the prime minister putting the interests of US business ahead of the British economy and British welfare.
I knew these trade talks were going to be scary. But even I’m shocked by the way the US government is throwing its weight around. And it seems to be working. Boris Johnson’s Brexit position is identical to the one being pushed by US officials on behalf of big business – even though economic modelling shows this scenario would be bad for Britain.
The leaked papers show US officials pushing lower food standards on Britain post Brexit, including allowing imports of chlorine-washed chickens, less nutritional labelling on foods, and less protection for regional food like stilton cheese. The US even offers to help the British government ‘sell’ chlorine chicken to a sceptical British public.
They show that the US has banned any mention of climate change in a US-UK trade deal, and that they are considering a ‘corporate court system’ in a US-UK deal, which would allow big business to sue the British government, in secret and without appeal, for anything they regard as ‘unfair’. Recent similar cases have seen governments sued for trying to phase out use of coal in light of the climate emergency.
The papers show US officials demanding US experts and multinational corporations are able to participate in standard-setting in Britain post Brexit, and dismissing as ‘unhelpful’ the role of parliament in scrutinising standards. They show the US pushing to lock in the vast powers of ‘Big Tech’ companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon. And they show the very real threat to the NHS from sweeping services liberalisation rules and proposals to make Britain pay more for cancer medicines. Pharmaceutical lobbyists have even been given special access to the trade talks to lobby negotiators.
Please help us spread the word about these leaked papers:
Not all of the secret trade papers have been leaked. In particular, we’re still not allowed to see papers from the talks Britain has held with many countries in the global south. Until we see those papers, we can’t know what damaging proposals Britain might be making in these potential deals. We’ll still be taking the government to court on 12 December – election day – to try to get those papers released.
But what I’ve seen today does not reassure me. It suggests that these trade talks are going to give big business ever more powers over our society, fuelling inequality and exacerbating climate change. We’ve got to stop them.
