New polling shows UK-Gulf trade talks lack public backing, with human rights a major concern

Posted on December 09, 2024
UK Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds meets the Saudi Minister of Commerce, Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi to boost trade and investment with the Gulf. September 2024.

As the UK continues to pursue a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), new polling exposes that only 21% of the UK public is in support of these talks.

New polling from Trade Justice Movement and Yonder also shows 68% of the public believe the UK should not enter trade agreements with countries with poor human rights records. Furthermore, “respect for human rights” was the second most important factor for the public when selecting an appealing trading partner for the UK.

The GCC, comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, includes some of the world’s most repressive regimes on issues including workers’ rights, press freedom and LGBTQ+ rights. Despite this, the Business and Trade Secretary has visited the Gulf twice since he entered post, and Keir Starmer is reportedly due to visit in December in a bid to finalise the UK-GCC trade deal.

The decision to continue trade negotiations inherited from the previous government ignores public opinion, fails to address widespread human rights violations in the region, and contradicts the UK’s climate commitments.

The UK Government’s own economic modelling shows a UK-GCC trade deal would proportionally boost harmful emissions more than it would help the UK economy. The deal is slated to contribute just 0.06 to 0.11% to UK GDP by 2035 while leading to an increase of 0.12% to 0.23% in the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Tom Wills, Director of the Trade Justice Movement, stated: “This trade deal offers no meaningful economic benefit while undermining the UK’s values on human rights and climate. Labour has the opportunity to reframe UK trade policy to reflect its values, but continuing with these negotiations would signal a troubling departure from those ideals.”

Tom Wills added: “The UK should focus on trade policies that promote labour rights, environmental protection, and a sustainable economy, not deals that ignore repression and climate inaction. The government’s Trade Strategy is due in a few months: signing a low standards deal with the Gulf would undermine that strategy before it has even arrived.”

For a detailed analysis of the concerns surrounding the UK-GCC trade deal, read the full policy brief here: Why the UK must reconsider a GCC trade deal.