The Lib Dems and Greens have called for Parliament to get a vote on any UK-US trade deal, over concerns it may ‘threaten the NHS or give tax cuts to US tech billionaires.’
On Thursday afternoon, it is expected that Donald Trump will announce a major deal between the US and the UK which will see tariffs reduced.
However, there are also reports that as part of the deal, the UK will abolish or reduce the 2% digital sales tax on large US ecommerce sellers such as Amazon and Google. The tax was expected to raise £800m a year and was intended to help out high street and smaller retailers.
Since the news of the trade deal emerged, there have been calls from some MPs for the deal to be put to a vote in Parliament and be fully scrutinised.
In a statement on Thursday, Lib Dem treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper said Labour “should not be afraid” to put the deal to Parliament if they are confident it is in the UK’s best interests.
The St Albans MP said: “Parliament must be given a vote on this US trade deal so it can be properly scrutinised.
“A good trade deal with the US could bring huge benefits, but Liberal Democrats are deeply concerned that it may include measures that threaten our NHS, undermine our farmers or give tax cuts to US tech billionaires.
“If the government is confident the agreement it has negotiated with Trump is in Britain’s national interest, it should not be afraid to bring it before MPs.”
Meanwhile, Green MP Ellie Chowns said in a post on Blueky that it was “deeply concerning” to hear reports the Digital Services Tax would be scrapped as part of the trade deal.
She wrote: “Reports that Labour may scrap the Digital Services Tax to secure a trade deal with Trump are deeply concerning. I’m urging the govt to guarantee MPs get a vote on any such deal. MPs must have a say in decisions that affect our digital economy and ability to tax corporate giants.”
Back in 2021, Labour said in a policy paper that it would give MPs a vote on trade deals, the Guardian reports.
The policy paper stated Labour would “reform the parliamentary scrutiny of trade agreements, so that MPs have a guaranteed right to debate the proposed negotiating objectives for future trade deals, and a guaranteed vote on the resulting agreements, with sufficient time set aside for detailed scrutiny both of the draft treaty texts, and of accompanying expert analysis on the full range of implications, including for workers’ rights.”
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has pushed the prime minister on a number of occasions in parliament over whether a UK-US deal would be put to vote for MPs.
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