Farmers are warning that Government plans for a trade deal with Australia could lead to a flood of cheap food imports that would harm their industry.
The move is being considered as part of a free trade pact which could also be a springboard for similar pacts with other countries.
It is feared adopting a zero-tariff and zero-quota approach to food imports from Australia risks the UK market being flooded with cheaper produce and undercutting UK farmers, forcing our farmers to adopt lower standards just to be able to compete.
Downing Street said Boris Johnson wants to “maximise” the benefits of trade deals as he intervened in the Cabinet row over a planned agreement with Australia.
The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of senior colleagues as negotiations with Australia about the terms of a deal continued.
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International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Environment Secretary George Eustice are thought to be at odds over the proposals and the impact they might have on British farmers.
Ms Truss, who has said she wants an agreement in principle by early June, is thought to favour a zero tariff, zero quota approach in order to boost the flow of trade.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “There are a regular series of meetings on not just this trade deal but the deals we have been working on throughout.
“The Prime Minister met with the ministers involved, like Liz Truss obviously, as part of the regular process.”
Mr Johnson “wants to maximise the massive opportunities presented by post-Brexit trade deals”, the spokesman said.
Downing Street insisted farmers would be protected in any deal with Australia.
“Any agreement would include protections for our agriculture industry and won’t undercut UK farmers,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
“We want a deal that is good for the British public and any agreement would have protection for the agriculture industry.”
But the spokesman refused to be drawn on what the measures to protect farmers would be, insisting he would not comment on the ongoing negotiations.
The proposed deal has also been criticised on environmental grounds because of the prospect of Australian beef being shipped around the world.
