The Tories and Reform UK are willing to water down UK food standards for a trade deal with the US
A petition opposing the weakening of the UK’s food and animal welfare standards has gained nearly 60,000 signatures in a single day.
The petition, launched by 38 Degrees yesterday, is urging the government to “Say no to chlorinated chicken here in the UK!”.
This comes after comments made by Donald Trump, who suggested that the UK should buy chlorinated chicken and hormone-injected beef from the US in exchange for lower tariffs on UK imports.
Campaign group 38 Degrees has condemned the idea, stating: “Trump wants us to swallow chlorine-washed chicken in exchange for tariff relief — food so filthy it needs disinfecting before it’s safe to eat.
“Allowing our supermarkets to be flooded with cheap, low quality American food would undercut British farmers and could trash animal welfare. Our food and animal welfare standards aren’t for sale to the highest bidder.”
The Treasury secretary James Murray has confirmed that chlorinated chicken ‘will remain illegal in the UK’ under Labour.
However, Reform UK and the Tories have indicated they would sell out on UK food standards to get closer to the US.
Kemi Badenoch argued that the idea that the US washes most chicken carcasses in chlorine water is a “myth”, despite it being commonly used to remove bacteria.
Nigel Farage said he would allow chlorinated chicken to be sold in the UK in return for a trade deal with the US.
Last week, Reform MP Lee Anderson declared he would eat chlorinated chicken. In addition, he shared a post on X, pointing out that salad is also washed with chlorine and that people can choose not to buy chlorine-washed chicken.
He said: “This is the type of chlorine washed salad eaten every day by millions of people in the UK. Yet there is outrage over chlorinated chicken. Simple solution – just don’t buy it. It’s not that complicated.”
In response, Tim Farron, the Lib Dem’s rural affairs spokesperson, said: “This is a useful reminder that Reform are the enemy of UK farmers. US chicken is chlorinated to compensate for the hygiene risk to humans from poor animal welfare standards.
“To welcome such products into the UK is to throw British farmers under the bus to appease Trump.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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