Thread by @CoppetainPU

Taking this 👇🏽 as inspiration, I'm searching (quick glance) for UK trade policy in the party manifestos.

1. The LIBDEMS focus on protecting standards (eg, labour, environment, animal welfare) in trade agreements. Trade is mentioned briefly with aid.

libdems.org.uk/plan

1/n

https://twitter.com/CoppetainPU/status/1197295120724451328

(Trade policy in manifestos—quick glance—cont.)

2. LABOUR also insists trade deals mustn't weaken standards (labour, environment, animal welfare) plus a focus on NHS and drug prices.

The only actual trade policy is UK-EU customs union, alignment.

labour.org.uk/manifesto/

2/n

Interesting to see if this 👇🏽 on drug pricing receives much attention (p.35, pdf version: labour.org.uk/manifesto/)

Compulsory licensing is when a government decides to bypass certain patent rights, forcing the patent-owner to license the production of generics. …

3/n

… “Compulsory licensing” comes under the WTO intellectual property agreement (“TRIPS”).

Normally, there has to be a negotiation with the patent owner for a voluntary licence. Failing that, there still has to be remuneration.

See this FAQ wto.org/english/tratop…

…

4/n

… Drug pricing, access to medicines, patents and incentives to invent are a complex subject much discussed in the WTO, World Intellectual Property Organization and World Health Organization.

See e.g. wto.org/english/tratop…

…

5/n

… Just the threat of compulsory licensing can persuade companies to cut their prices.

The manifesto talks of the “medical innovation model”. Behind that lies a large amount of complexity. It remains to be seen what Labour has in mind.

labour.org.uk/manifesto/

…

6/n

… On protecting “all parts of the NHS” from trade deals — generally that can apply where there is no private sector participation.

Otherwise, the UK will be subject, at least, to its commitments in the WTO on public procurement and services …

labour.org.uk/manifesto/

7/n

… The NHS is among entities the UK has opened up to foreign competition (among signatory countries) under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (signed by a subset of WTO members). So it is already subject to one international trade treaty …

8/n

e-gpa.wto.org/en/Annex/Detai…

… The UK has opened medical services & medical professional services to foreign suppliers in its WTO services commitments.

It's complex—lots of exception—but generally applies to activities already privatised.

So under another trade deal.

See i-tip.wto.org/services/Searc…

…

9/n

… Finally, Labour has announced these policies before; they are not new to the 2019 manifesto.

And “TRIPS” (the WTO agreement) = “Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights”.

10/n (to be continued)

(Trade policy in manifestos—quick glance—cont.)

3. GREEN PARTY: no trade policy as such.

• Transparency on trade in EU institutions
• Trade deals to be environmental- and development-friendly (as LibDems)
• Against investor-state dispute settlement

campaigns.greenparty.org.uk/manifesto/#gnd

(Trade policy in manifestos—quick glance—cont.)

4. BREXIT PARTY: the word “trade” is not in the manifesto (“contract”).

This is, under a “clean break Brexit”:

“Reduce import tariffs: […] reduce tariffs to zero on certain foods, footwear and clothing.”

thebrexitparty.org/contract/

(Trade policy in manifestos—quick glance—cont.)

5. CONSERVATIVES: The only party to have a section on trade policy.

But it doesn’t tell us much. Just the vague slogan of “free trade”—which is in the eye of the beholder but is never totally free …

vote.conservatives.com/our-plan

13/n

[Conservative manifesto cont]

The “Free trade”slogan doesn’t say whether the UK will unilaterally scrap tariffs, keep its present tariffs and rely on free trade agreements to to do it, or somewhere in between.

Nothing on trade-offs, winners-losers

vote.conservatives.com/our-plan

14/n

[Conservative manifesto cont]

This part ends with
• “dismantle barriers to trade”—what, all of them? Including on unsafe food and dangerous products?
• “retake our seat at the World Trade Organisation”—a quibble: the UK never lost its WTO seat …

vote.conservatives.com/our-plan

15/n

[Tory manifesto cont]

The main focus: free trade deals.

• To cover 80% of UK trade—so wd have to include services. And with the UK's largest trading partners, US and EU, etc. All within 3 years.

1 in 3 yrs = ambitious. But all, simultaneously?

16/n

vote.conservatives.com/our-plan These will be negotiated in parallel with our EU deal."" src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKJ6hr9XsAA4FHr.png">

[Conservative manifesto cont]

• Trade liberalisation in services—a special mention. Free trade deals aside, this would be in the WTO (deadlocked) or in a group outside it—Trade in Services (TISA) talks, also deadlocked)

Makes sense, but difficult

17/n

vote.conservatives.com/our-plan open up trade in services, in which the majority of us work and where most new jobs will be created."" src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKJ6iEEX0AIdWbH.png">

[Conservative manifesto cont]

• Ten free ports.

This is not straightforward. Here are a couple of articles on free ports and Brexit

• @FullFact: fullfact.org/europe/free-po…
• @pholmes8 on @uk_tpo: blogs.sussex.ac.uk/uktpo/2019/09/…
… 18/n

vote.conservatives.com/our-plan the most of the opportunities of Brexit, and levelling up the nation, we will create up to ten freeports around the UK, benefiting some of our most deprived communities. We will also redouble our efforts to promote British business and UK exports and dismantle barriers to trade and retake our seat at the World Trade Organisation."" src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKJ6iegWkAAetX8.png">

[Conservative manifesto cont]

• Fair trade through trade deals—not about “fairtrade” products but about using trade to improve life in developing countries.

Linked to commitment to spend 0.7% of gross national income on international aid. …

19/n

vote.conservatives.com/our-plan but fair – in particular towards the developing nations whose economies could be transformed by access to the UK’s markets and expertise. We
can, for example, include provisions in our new free trade agreements that promote the fair treatment of workers and advance women’s empowerment."" src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKJ6i2oWoAUqkS8.png"> commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of GNI on development, and do more to help countries receiving aid become self-sufficient."" src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKJ6i3mXkAEmp1b.png">

[Conservative manifesto cont]

• 5 principles for trade talks, including an odd one about being tough and ready to walk away from a bad deal.

Here & elsewhere; free trade talks won’t undermine the NHS, welfare and the environment—as all parties.

20/n

vote.conservatives.com/our-plan

(Trade policy in manifestos—quick glance—cont.)

6. PLAID CYMRU. Fully in the EU single market & customs union. Protecting social, health, environmental, food safety and medicine standards, and the NHS, in trade deals.

For farm subsidies—remain.

21/n

partyof.wales/maniffesto_2019

(Trade policy in manifestos—quick glance—cont.)

7. Finally, the SNP
(and apologies to Northern Ireland parties for not looking at theirs)

No trade policy as such.

• A lot on preventing the NHS from being in trade negotiations (pdf page 18)

…

snp.org/general-electi…

22/25

(The SNP manifesto, cont.)

• Defending Scottish agriculture, food/drink, and fisheries products against trade barriers eg, no-deal or hard Brexit.

• Plus: strong protection for Arbroath smokies and other geographical indications.

snp.org/general-electi… (p.39)

23/25

(Trade policy in the SNP manifesto, cont.)

• Oppose any trade deal with the US until it drops its new tariffs on Scotch Whisky.

snp.org/general-electi… (p14)

(These tariffs were raised by the US in WTO-authorised retaliation against Airbus subsidies. See next tweet)

24/25 SNP MPs campaigning prevented a tax raid on
Scottish whisky and the SNP is now fighting
to protect the sector’s EU protections. We will
oppose any trade talks with the US until they drop
the new tariffs on Scotch whisky." (page 14)" src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKZb5n6XUAA8Eqb.png">

(Trade policy in the SNP manifesto, conclusion)

What are the "new" US tariffs on Scotch whisky (and other products)? Explained in this thread:

https://twitter.com/CoppetainPU/status/1179720914566553601?s=20

25/25/ends (phew!)