New Zealand Trade Deal Will Damage Rural Communities

Responding to the news that the UK Government has concluded the signing of a trade deal with New Zealand, removing trade barriers between the two countries, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have said the deal will cause damage to rural communities and the Welsh agricultural industry.

Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader and Senedd Member for Mid & West Wales Jane Dodds said:

"The UK Government has negotiated a trade agreement that will actively damage Welsh farming communities and will bring next to no tangible benefits to our local economies.

"The Conservatives have proven that they are utterly unable to negotiate trade deals that boost the UK economy and unfortunately this agreement is no exception. The economic benefits are a drop in the ocean, and they will do nothing to mitigate the damage from the red tape and paperwork caused by Boris Johnson's shambolic EU trade deal.

"Instead of delivering Global Britain, this Government is selling Welsh farmers down the river.

“Under one of the Government’s modelled scenarios, it is possible the UK economy could contract by -0.01 per cent by 2030 due to the deal's effects and the damage competition could do to domestic UK industries like farming. Even the best-case scenarios have growth of only 0.3% and continued negative impacts on the agricultural sector, particularly that of sheep farming.

“The fact the Government has pushed ahead with this deal and the Welsh Conservatives have done nothing to stop them or mitigate the impacts despite mostly representing rural communities in Wales shows the Conservatives take rural areas and farmers for granted.”

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