![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/australia-free-trade-deal-a-failure-for-uk-says-george-eustice/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/127635058_571c4d86cc49d7019642996808fe75b25f6630ce.jpg&description=Image caption, George Eustice helped negotiate the free trade agreement with Australia while environment secretaryFormer environment secretary George Eustice has savaged the UK's free trade deal with Australia and criticised Liz Truss's role in negotiating it. Mr Eustice, who helped secure the agreement, told a Commons debate that it was "not actually a very good deal for the UK".It was the first post-Brexit deal negotiated from scratch.But Mr Eustice argued it gave away "too much" after the then trade secretary Ms Truss "shattered" the UK's negotiation.At the time the government estimated the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement, signed on 17 December 2021, would unlock £10.4bn of additional trade while ending tariffs on all UK exports.The deal also removed some visa rules. Young people are now able to work and travel in Australia for up to three years. UK architects, scientists, researchers, lawyers and accountants can also access work visas without being subject to Australia's skilled occupation list.Mr Eustice told the Commons that now he is on the backbenches he "no longer has to put such a positive gloss on what was agreed".Overall the UK "gave away far too much for far too little in return", he told MPs.This includes giving Australia or New Zealand full access to the UK market to sell beef and sheep, while Australia still bans the import of British beef, he added.Mr Eustice worked in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for nearly a decade - first as a minister before being appointed secretary of state by Boris Johnson. Ms Truss sacked him when she became prime minister in September.Image source, Richard Sowersby/BBCImage caption, The deal will reduce extra costs and taxes on exports and imports between the two countriesThe UK started negotiations "with the strongest possible hand" but Mr Eustice said negotiators were put "on the back foot" by Ms Truss demanding that the terms of the deal were agreed before a meeting of the G7 in Cornwal){kind=link}
Former environment secretary George Eustice has savaged the UK’s free trade deal with Australia and criticised Liz Truss’s role in negotiating it.
Mr Eustice, who helped secure the agreement, told a Commons debate that it was “not actually a very good deal for the UK”.
It was the first post-Brexit deal negotiated from scratch.
But Mr Eustice argued it gave away “too much” after the then trade secretary Ms Truss “shattered” the UK’s negotiation.
At the time the government estimated the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement, signed on 17 December 2021, would unlock £10.4bn of additional trade while ending tariffs on all UK exports.