London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

UK may weaken food safety standards for post-Brexit trade deal with US, leaked document warns

UK may weaken food safety standards for post-Brexit trade deal with US, leaked document warns

Leaked ministerial documents warn the UK will be pressured to relax food and environmental standards to strike a trade deal with the US after Brexit, which could “irreparably damage” the environment and public health.
“The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, or Defra will come under significant pressure from the Department for International Trade to accommodate the US’s asks,” the leaked paper reads, as cited by Unearthed, the investigative arm of Greenpeace environmental group.

The internal document suggests that Washington will push UK authorities to lower sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS) if it wants to continue to trade with the US after exiting the European Union. In particular, the UK may be forced to ease measures governing animal welfare and pesticide residue levels to allow further imports by American agriculture companies.

“Any significant movement could have implications for our other [free-trade agreements] or export arrangements, which are based on existing [SPS] standards,” the document warns, stating, in particular, that succumbing to Washington’s demands could severely limit the UK’s ability to negotiate a trade agreement with the EU.

“EU concerns about the risk of non-compliant goods entering its territory would be heightened if the UK acceded to US demands on chlorine-washed chicken [and] hormone-fed beef,” it states. The paper also emphasizes that such a step would lead to UK’s produce imminently losing its trustworthiness, as well as putting the nation’s health in jeopardy.

“Weakening our SPS regime to accommodate one trade partner could irreparably damage our ability to maintain UK animal, plant and public health, and reduce trust in our exports,” it reads further.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Trade Secretary Liz Truss have both recently addressed the potential trade deal with the US and its benefits, praising it as opening “new opportunities for British business.” However, the authors of the leaked document urge the UK to “push back strongly” in order “to secure our positions, particularly on dispute settlement, handling of custom terms and definitions, and around controversial issues.”

A spokesman for Defra said the department did not comment on leaked documents, adding that as “a world leader on animal welfare and environmental standards” the UK will only continue to improve on that front “after we have left the EU.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×