TORY-TRUMP TRADE DEAL A THREAT TO SCOTLAND’S NHS.
AGGRESSIVE TRADE DEMANDS COULD BE DEVASTATING.
The SNP has said that a Tory-Trump trade deal could seriously threaten Scotland’s NHS and future prosperity – warning that this is too high a price to pay to placate Donald Trump.
Speaking after a meeting with Boris Johnson, US advisor John Bolton said the UK will be “first in line” for a trade deal and claimed the prime minister and Donald Trump have got their relationship off to a “roaring start.”
Mr Bolton also told reporters that America would “enthusiastically” support a no-deal Brexit, which could cost 100,000 jobs in Scotland alone.
The Trump administration has taken an aggressive stance towards post-Brexit trade talks with the UK – raising fears that the UK could soon be swamped with imports of US produce including hormone-injected beef and chlorinated chicken, which are currently banned under EU rule.
SNP MSP Emma Harper said:
“Scotland’s NHS should not be up for negotiation in a trade off between Boris Johnson and Donald Trump.
“In three years, the Tories have secured just a handful of trade deals – giving little to no thought to Scotland’s needs, and consistently failing to provide assurances to our booming food and drink sector.
“This Tory government wants to rip us out of the world’s largest single market under the illusion they can win fantastic trade deals with the US and a long queue of others.
“But Donald Trump has made clear that any trade deal will come up at a price, with ‘everything on the table’ ‘
“Our trade links are stronger than ever, with demand for Scottish produce increasing across the world, including in the US. An extreme Tory Brexit would completely undermine the Scottish Government’s efforts to boost Scotland’s trading position, and seriously threaten our international reputation.
“The UK government simply must not be allowed to negotiate away the rights of Scottish food producers, our exporters, and our NHS.
“No matter how desperate the UK government is, Scotland’s future prosperity must not be sacrificed in order to kowtow to Donald Trump’s aggressive trade demands.”