Finance Minister Rachel Reeves stated on Wednesday that Britain’s government is not in a haste to negotiate a trade agreement with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and that she would not compromise on food standards during the negotiations.
We won’t make a hasty decision. Reeves told reporters in Washington that “those talks are ongoing and we want to get the right deal that’s in our national interest.” The United States obviously wants a deal as well. Thus, such conversations go on.
While visiting the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in the U.S. capital this week, Reeves, like many of her international counterparts, intends to advance efforts to lower Trump’s import tariffs.
According to a Tuesday Wall Street Journal article, the United States is seeking to persuade Britain to relax restrictions on U.S. agricultural imports, particularly beef, and lower tariffs and other non-tariff barriers on a range of items.
Our standards for food will not be loosened. “The United States respects and understands that we have been clear about that,” Reeves stated. “Therefore, that is not a topic of discussion in these talks.
In addition to pursuing a deal with the United States, Britain aims to lower trade barriers with the European Union following Brexit. This strategy may become more difficult if London accedes to Washington’s demands about food standards.
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