'UK quietly drops ‘human rights’ and ‘rule of law’ from list of goals in Gulf trade deal', 26 June 2022

"The government has quietly dropped “human rights” and the “rule of law” from its list of objectives in negotiating a trade deal with Gulf states. The two items were included in a consultation on what the trade deal should achieve, published in October, but did not make it into the final list published this week.

It comes as civil society groups voice concern about the planned deal with the Gulf states, with the TUC and Amnesty International among organisations to sound the alarm. The UK government’s trade policy with Europe has inflicted serious economic damage on British imports and exports – and ministers want to boost trade with regions such as the Gulf to close the gap.

International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan this week met representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh to begin negotiations with the six-nation bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE.

But with the government keen to sign deals to make up for damage done by Brexit and score political wins, protections are already being watered down...

... Earlier this week, as the government kicked off negotiations, Paul Nowak, deputy general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said the UK should not “entertain” a deal without addressing reform. “The Gulf states’ appalling record on human rights and workers’ rights is no secret, and yet the government is rushing into trade talks, no questions asked,” he said..."