British taxpayers are unwittingly bankrolling American aid projects across Africa due to a startling clause buried within a post-Brexit trade agreement with the United States, an investigation can reveal.
The controversial deal, signed amidst the rush to establish new trading relationships after leaving the EU, allows US development agencies to use British-made goods and services purchased with American aid money without paying UK export taxes. This effectively creates a multi-million-pound subsidy from the UK Treasury directly to the US aid budget.
A Raw Deal for Britain?
Critics have slammed the arrangement as a "one-sided" and "desperate" concession made by UK negotiators, arguing it provides minimal tangible benefit to British businesses while costing the Exchequer vital revenue. The move has ignited fury among backbench MPs and trade experts who label it a symbol of Britain’s weakened negotiating position outside the European bloc.
“We’re essentially subsidising American soft power in Africa with British public money,” said one dismayed trade policy analyst. “It’s a terrible look and an even worse deal. It raises serious questions about who exactly these post-Brexit deals are really for.”
Questionable Benefits and Mounting Scrutiny
While proponents argue the deal increases the likelihood of US agencies sourcing from UK suppliers, the tangible economic advantages remain hotly debated. The significant loss in tax revenue appears to vastly outweigh any potential, and uncertain, gains for British industry.
The revelation is expected to trigger intense parliamentary scrutiny, with calls for the government to urgently review the terms and renegotiate what many are calling a "bad faith" agreement. This controversy underscores the immense complexity and potential pitfalls of forging an independent trade policy, casting a long shadow over other deals currently being negotiated.
