This NHS is “not up for grabs” in trade negotiations with the US and the “hard yards are still ahead”, Wes Streeting has said.
The health secretary told Sky’s Anna Jones that the “warmth and enthusiasm” between Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer would “get the ball rolling” on striking a deal.
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But he stressed: “The hard yards are still ahead. And as we know about President Trump, he is a hardheaded businessman and he’s not a pushover.”
Asked if the UK could give ground on US access to the health service, Mr Streeting told Sky News: “The NHS is not up for grabs and it’s not on the table in the context of trade.
“But there are a number of areas where we can and should work together to deepen the trading relationship between our two countries.”
The cabinet minister did not say which areas could be looked at, but later told BC Radio 4’s Today programme that “in terms of life sciences and medical technology, there’s a lot that we’ve got to offer the United States and there’s a lot that we could get from the United States given our two countries’ strengths”.
He suggested NHS patients could be offered up in clinical trials, which in turn would mean British people “are at the front of the queue for those new treatments and technologies” and “that we get a good deal on price”.
Ministers are buoyed by the possibility of a UK-US trade deal after a positive meeting between Sir Keir and the US president in Washington on Thursday, which came as part of a European charm offensive launched to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine
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During the meeting and a subsequent news conference, the pair exchanged warm words, with Mr Trump calling the British PM a “special man” and a “great gentleman”. Sir Keir returned the compliments by praising the US leader for “changing the conversation” on Ukraine.
Mr Trump even touted the possibility of a long-sought after US-UK trade deal, saying this could happen “very quickly” and without the kind of tariffs he is threatening elsewhere.
A free trade deal with the US was promised by the Tories after the Brexit referendum but it was not achieved by the time they lost the election in July – with former prime minister Rishi Sunak previously blaming the war in Ukraine and the COVID pandemic.
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Deal ‘achievable within six months’
Previous sticking points have included chlorinated chicken and access to the NHS for US pharmaceutical companies.
Chris Southworth, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), told Sky News this could be prevented if the UK “avoids going down the route” of a full Free Trade Agreement (FTA) – focusing on finance and tech instead.
He said a deal like this could be “achieved within six months as we are so aligned in these areas”, calling yesterday’s meeting a “game changer” that could help with Rachel Reeve’s growth agenda while benefiting the US economy too.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper told Sky News it was likely a deal could focus on services, but urged the government to focus on striking a better deal with Europe too.
She said: “We do think it’s possible to negotiate a trade deal, probably on services with the US.
“But clearly there are some red lines that I think most people in the UK would sign up to, which is that any trade deal must absolutely not undermine our NHS, and it absolutely must not undermine the very high food and animal welfare standards that our British farmers maintain in our food supply as well.”
