Rachel Reeves rules out allowing chlorinated chicken into Britain

Rachel Reeves today ruled out allowing chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef onto British supermarket shelves as part of a trade deal with Donald Trump.

The Chancellor insisted Labour 'won't change' their stance on opposing the import of such meat products under a post-Brexit agreement with the US.

She said the Government was 'not going to allow British farmers to be undercut by different rules and regulations in other countries'.

The prospect of a US-UK trade deal has been revived since Mr Trump won this month's US election and is set to return to the White House in January.

He was much more enthusiastic about an agreement with Britain during his first term in office, in comparison to his successor Joe Biden who had little interest in a deal.

Following Mr Trump's election win, Sir Keir Starmer has come under fire for allowing the departure of Britain's most senior trade negotiator.

Sir Crawford Falconer - who has been the UK's top trade expert since 2017 and who previously worked on a US trade deal with Mr Trump's first administration - will be leaving the Department for Business and Trade next month.

Even under Mr Trump, one of the sticking points to a US-UK trade deal was the reluctance of UK ministers to open up British markets to US agriculture products. 

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak said last year he would not allow chlorine-washed chicken or hormone-treated beef on the UK market.

Ms Reeves confirmed Labour would keep the same stance as she said the Government was 'determined' to support British farmers.

'We haven't got to that stage yet but we're determined to support the farming industry in this country,' she told ITV News.

'We're not going to allow British farmers to be undercut by different rules and regulations in other countries.'

Pressed on whether she would rule out imports of chlorinated chicken or hormone -treated beef, the Chancellor added: 'We opposed them in the last parliament and that won't change.

'But we do want to improve trade flows between our countries, that's really important for Britain.

'To build on the trade relationships we have with the US, but also with the EU.'

According to The Times, Sir Crawford is leaving his role after his contract was not extended and he will not be directly replaced.

Labour will instead give more junior officials responsibility for overseeing Britain's trade negotiations in future, the newspaper reported.

Andrew Griffith, the Tory shadow business secretary, said the decision to allow Britain's top trade expert to leave was 'staggering'.

He questioned whether it was 'deliberate self-harm or merely negligence' by the Prime Minister.

'It is staggering that at this crucial time following the US elections, the Government has dispensed with the services of its chief trade negotiator with direct experience negotiating across the Atlantic,' Mr Griffith said.

'It is like retiring your opening batsman on the first day of a Test match.' 

The Conservative frontbencher called on the Department for Business and Trade to 'clarify what steps they took to retain his services'.

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Tory former business secretary, said: 'Losing a first class trade negotiator when a trade deal with our biggest trading partner, America, is on the horizon shows how inadequate this Government is.' 

Sir Crawford has spent 25 years working on trade policy and trade negotiations and was previously New Zealand's chief trade negotiator.

He was appointed to be the UK's chief trade negotiator when Theresa May was PM as she prepared for Britain leaving the EU and regaining control over trade policy.

Sir Crawford previously had his contract extended in 2022 and 2023, but it is understood he is 'content' not to have had his contract renewed again.

It was reported last year that he was planning to return to his native New Zealand once Britain had completed its accession to the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) trade bloc. 

Negotiations over a UK-US trade deal stalled when Joe Biden replaced Mr Trump as US president in 2021.

The Republican's return to the White House has led to hopes that talks could resume, although it has been claimed Sir Keir might prioritise his 'reset' of post-Brexit relations with the EU rather than chase a deal with the US.

George Eustice, the Tory former environment secretary, called for Sir Crawford to be sacked in 2022 as part of his strident criticism of the UK's trade deal with Australia.

He argued Britain gave away 'too much' and accused Sir Crawford of accepting concessions to Australian negotiators 'often when they were against UK interest'.

But Kemi Badenoch, the then trade secretary and now Tory leader, fiercely defended Sir Crawford and the Australia deal.

A spokesman for the Department for Business and Trade said: 'We would like to thank Crawford for his commitment in overseeing the UK's trade policy and negotiations over many years.

'His work has ensured the UK has built up the necessary experience and expertise to succeed on the world stage as a newly independent trading nation.

'We look forward to delivering an ambitious trade agenda that boosts growth and gives British businesses access to some of the most exciting economies in the world.'