Multilateral Free Trade

Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway Excerpts

Monday 6th January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Leong (Lab)]

Absolutely. I assure the noble Lord that services will be included in any of our conversations with our partners.

[Baroness O’Grady of Upper Holloway (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that too often populists have appealed for protectionism because too often trade agreements have not been designed to protect jobs and level up labour standards? Is he aware that the international trade union movement is calling for fair trade based on placing improving labour standards at the heart of trade agreements?

[Lord Leong (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is right. In any of our trading agreements we need to look at workers’ rights and how the country treats its employees. At the same time, we must also advocate the whole concept of free trade and non-tariff goods and services because that actually opens up the market for more competition.