Agriculture bill returns to Commons for crunch food standards vote
The controversial agriculture bill returns to the House of Commons on Monday for a key vote on the future of the UK’s food standards.
It goes back to the lower chamber after being amended in the House of Lords to include the requirement that any food products imported under future trade deals meet UK standards.
However, the Times reported that the PM’s adviser Dominic Cummings has told MPs to vote down the amendments.
If they do so, it will be a victory for international trade secretary Liz Truss, who is seeking to strike a series of rapid trade deals with countries like the US and Australia.
Clause 49, or the Lord Curry amendment, seeks to strengthen the newly launched Trade and Agriculture Commission, which was launched in July.
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The independent body was set up to provide advice to the government to ensure new UK trade policy upholds high standards.
Under the amendment, the commission would have the ability to scrutinise all future trade deals.
Farming unions have come out in full force behind the amendments, as has celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
Conservative MP Simon Hoare tweeted that he would be backing the amendments in Monday’s vote.
“As someone who stood, proudly, on a manifesto to uphold food, environmental and animal welfare standards and having tabled Agriculture Bill amendments to do just that at Committee & Report stages I will be voting FOR the Lords Amendments on Monday”, he wrote.