Trade Secretary Liam Fox has refused to rule out accepting America’s hormone-treated beef and chlorine-washed chicken in a US-UK post-Brexit trade deal.
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, the cabinet minister did not back away from claims the government could cede to demands from Donald Trump’s administration on British food standards.
Fox said: “You take the chlorine-washed chicken, a lot of our food is already chlorine-washed, the salads that we get.
“The question is not about safety, the question is about the implications for animal welfare further down the track.”
He added: “There is a world beyond Europe and there will be a time beyond Brexit.”
Fox had previously promised lowering food standards would be off the table, telling the BBC in November 2017: “We have made very clear we are not going to see reductions in our standards as we move forward, partly because British consumers wouldn’t stand for it.”
Fox was also asked about whether Brexit could be delayed, after Theresa May told the Commons last week that it could be an option if MPs cannot agree.
Fox said: “It would be very unfortunate were that to happen.
“But, if we have no option, in order to deliver a smooth Brexit, then so be it.”
It comes amid reports that the hardline pro-Brexit Tory faction the European Research Group was ready to compromise and back May’s deal if it meets three key tests on the Northern Irish backstop.
Asked if delaying departure from the EU beyond March 29 would be going back on a promise, Fox added: “I think that to attempt to have a delay mechanism in order to thwart the process of Brexit itself is actually politically completely unacceptable,” Fox added.
“And, as I have said before, would provide a backlash, provoke a backlash, amongst voters.”
Fox was also challenged on how many trade deals would be ready for when Britain leaves the EU.
It comes after a leaked document showed eight deals were “off track” and 19 were “significantly off track”.
Fox would not confirm whether the document was accurate, but said a number of deals were “very close” and repeated his claim that trade deals would “run right up to the wire”.
Labour MP Rupa Huq, who supports the People’s Vote campaign for a second Brexit referendum, said Fox was leading the UK to a “blindfold Brexit”.
She said: “That’s why he is refusing to rule out accepting chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-fed beef as part of a trade deal with Donald Trump.
“Before we are forced to accept a Brexit deal that would put food that no-one wants on British supermarket shelves it is only fair that we get a people’s vote so the public can decide if we go ahead.”