Business Secretary rejects vote on Trump trade deal despite previously calling for “a proper role for Parliament”

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds today rejected a vote on a US-UK trade deal in Parliament saying “no - we are not… seeking to change the process of the ratification of any treaty” despite his previous calls for “a proper role for Parliament in how trade deals are ratified” and there needing to be “a much higher level of scrutiny than we are seeing now”.

In response to a question by Liberal Democrat Trade spokesperson Clive Jones in Parliament earlier today where he was asked “yes or no” if the Government would give MPs a vote on any Trump trade deal, the Business Secretary said “no; we are not, in this Government, seeking to change the ratification process for any treaty”. He later added “no—we are not proposing changes to the process by which we agree treaties with other countries”.

It comes despite comments Reynolds made in November 2023 where he said that "more people need to have a stake and a say in our trade deals, with a much higher level of scrutiny than we are seeing now." He added that "that starts with a proper role for Parliament in how trade deals are ratified”.

The Government's own Export Minister, Gareth Thomas, also admitted in Parliament in March last year that the current process for ratifying trade deals is “clearly not fit for purpose” and backed an amendment to the Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill which would have reformed part of the process.

The Liberal Democrats also recently uncovered a 2021 policy paper called ‘Labour’s Trade Policy: Putting Workers First’ in which Labour explicitly called for a "guaranteed vote on the resulting agreements” of any trade deal with another country. In the document, Labour says that the previous Conservative government had shown their “contempt for Parliamentary scrutiny” by not allowing MPs a vote on a trade deal with Cameroon. The policy paper also described the “flagrant evidence of the inadequacy” of “proper oversight of trade deals”.

This week, the Liberal Democrats tabled a bill in Parliament that would have enacted exactly what Labour suggested in their 2021 policy paper and would guarantee Parliament a say on any Trump trade deal.

Liberal Democrat Trade spokesperson, Clive Jones MP said:

“The Government’s rejection of a vote on any Trump trade deal is a slap in the face to all those who have so much to lose.

“This trade deal could have enormous consequences for our farmers worried about being sold out as they were under the Conservatives, parents fearful of online protections for their children being watered down and the threat to our NHS from US companies.

“Denying Parliament a voice would be an egregious broken promise by this Labour government. The Liberal Democrats have given them the opportunity to keep their word to the public by tabling a bill that would implement exactly what Labour said they would do.

“To not take it up and make it into law ahead of any Trump trade deal would be this Government dismissing the concerns of millions and showing their word is not worth the paper it is written on.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
Clive Jones’ question and Jonathan Reynolds answer can be found here.

Jonathan Reynolds November 2023 comments can be found here.

Gareth Thomas March 2024 comments can be found here.

Labour’s 2021 position set out in their ‘Labour’s Trade Policy: Putting Workers First’ document.