Johnson Accused of 'Dancing to Donald Trump's Tune' Over EU Trade Talks

Nick Dearden of Global Justice Now, reacting to the prime minister's speech on UK-EU trade this morning, said:

"While the EU put out a 33-page document highlighting its negotiating objectives this morning, Boris Johnson gave his usual pantomime set-piece. But what became very clear is that Johnson is a million miles from the EU offer, and that's because he's intent on dancing to Donald Trump's tune.

"The only way Johnson can get his treasured trade deal with the US is to give away British standards and allow US multinationals to have a bonanza at the expense of people and the planet. But Johnson is going to find this very difficult because most British people have also been shown to be hostile to any trade deal made on these terms. Nor will the EU agree to it.

"Beneath the usual bluster and bravado, we can see Johnson clearly rattled by the scale of opposition to a US trade deal - and so he should be. Johnson can tell those who oppose a US trade deal to 'grow up' all he likes. But what he labels 'mumbo jumbo' is not anti-American at all, it is rather a deep-seated opposition to allowing the import of meat made in atrocious conditions, GM foods, higher medicine prices, cancer-causing chemicals, and handing over vast swathes of our society to big business."