Johnson leaves Australian Open Agreement to end food tariffs – Executive Digest

According to Bloomberg, Boris Johnson has opened up the possibility of a trade deal with Australia, which aims to eliminate tariffs on food, after Scottish and Welsh MPs insisted on waiving tariffs on meat.

In response to the delegates, the British Prime Minister turned down the offer, citing “great things” that UK farmers could do with the country’s free trade agreements.

“Why are you so afraid of free trade?” Johnson asked Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party. “There is a huge opportunity for Scotland and the whole of England and I have to take advantage of that,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s responses include support for an agreement with Australia that would allow free access to the UK food markets.

However, the National Union of British Farmers has already warned that many farms will face severe difficulties if they happen to compete with duty-free imports of beef and lamb.

“Farmers will lose their livelihoods, rural businesses will collapse and eventually families will be evicted from the land,” Blackboard explained.