Harrogate district Conservative MPs Andrew Jones, Julian Smith, and Nigel Adams voted against an amendment to the Agriculture Bill yesterday that would have forced any future trade deal to meet UK food safety and animal welfare requirements.
The government said the amendment was not needed as it had already committed to ensuring UK food standards would be retained in any post-Brexit trade deals.
MPs voted by 332 votes to 279 to reject the House of Lords amendment. Former Harrogate councillor and current York Outer MP Julian Sturdy was one of 14 Tory rebels who voted against the government.
The bill will now return to the Lords.
Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson Judith Rogerson accused Andrew Jones of “selling out” farmers.
She said:
“It’s disappointing to see Harrogate & Knaresborough’s MP fail to stand up for local farmers by voting to allow countries with lower standards undercut them.
”The UK should be leading the way in upholding the highest environmental and animal welfare standards, not selling out our planet, animals, and farmers for the sake of future trade deals.”
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Farming minister Victoria Prentis told the Commons the government was “absolutely committed to high standards”.
Last week, protestors met outside Mr Jones’ constituency office in Harrogate urging him to vote down the amendment.
Philip Knight, who attended the protest, told the Stray Ferret he was worried the bill would lead to lower food standards in post-Brexit trade deals:
“Personally, I’m worried that because of Brexit and a frenzy for a trade deal that the government is going to make some mistakes and lower food standards in this country, which will affect not only what we eat but the livelihoods of farmers.”
The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones, Mr Smith, and Mr Adams for comment but none had responded at the time of publication.
