Green peers demand Trade Bill includes parliamentary scrutiny and environmental protections

6 December 2020

• Jenny Jones: “The Government is trying to bulldoze democracy by saying that capitalism and big business are more important than the will of the people”

Green Party peers have said parliament must be allowed scrutiny of post-Brexit trade deals as the government’s Trade Bill returns to the House of Lords for debate tomorrow.[1]

The Greens have also set out how the bill must include the existing strong protections for the environment, workers’ rights and food safety.

Green peer Jenny Jones said it was vital to protect democracy by ensuring parliamentary scrutiny of trade deals.

Baroness Jones said:

“The Government is trying to bulldoze democracy by saying that capitalism and big business are more important than the will of the people. 

“Unlike the US Congress and EU Parliament, whose members are heavily involved throughout the whole process of trade negotiations, the UK Government is trying to keep Parliament in the dark with very little control over the trade deals that we sign. 

“As Greens, we believe that the market and the economy should serve the people, not make us the servants. 

“That’s why we have been fighting for strong parliamentary scrutiny of trade deals, involving Parliament in setting negotiating mandates, and culminating in each deal being put to a meaningful vote in parliament.”

Green peer Natalie Bennett warned it was vital the bill included strong protections for people and planet.

Baroness Bennett said:

“Too often, trade deals are used to undermine the important protections for the environment, workers’ rights and food safety. 

“That is why we have been fighting for the Trade Bill to have strong protections for people and the planet, so that we can work together with other countries to improve rather than destroy.

“But ultimately we need to work towards the kind of model being developed in New Zealand, Costa Rica, Iceland, Norway and Fiji, their proposed Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability. That is seeking to ensure progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, rather than as too much of our trade does, threatening them.” [2]

ENDS

Notes

1

https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2729

2

https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/climate/agreement-on-climate-change-trade-and-sustainability-accts-negotiations/