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Elected officials have raised concerns that the United Kingdom's series of deals with Donald Trump are "built on sand." This follows revelations that a much-touted deal on medicines, which promises zero tariffs in exchange for the NHS increasing its costs, lacks any underlying contract beyond limited headline terms published in government press releases.

An Agreement in Principle Only

The US-UK pharmaceuticals agreement, promoted as a "significant" achievement, remains an "agreement in principle" without detailed provisions. It has been highlighted that the official announcements from the UK and US governments present the deal in sharply different terms. The British version focuses on securing "zero per cent tariffs" as a unique achievement, while the American announcement concentrates on the agreement for the NHS to pay significantly more for new medications.

"We face a genuine possibility that the UK government has promised concessions to raise drug prices in return for only a pledge from President Trump," said David Henig, a trade policy analyst. "We know he has form for not keeping promises."

Wider Concerns Amidst a Suspended Agreement

Concerns have been heightened by Washington's move to put on ice the £31bn "tech prosperity deal", which was previously called "a huge leap forward" in the bilateral relationship. The US cited a lack of progress from the UK on reducing other tariffs as the reason for the pause.

Furthermore, concessions secured for British farmers as part of an initial accord have yet to be formally ratified by the US, despite a fast-approaching January deadline. "It is our belief that the US has not yet signed off the reciprocal tariff rate quota," said Tom Bradshaw of the National Farmers' Union.

Uncertainty Among Officials

Privately, ministers have voiced worries that the government's agreements with the US are unstable and unpredictable. One minister was quoted as stating the series of agreements as "built on sand," while another described the situation as the "prevailing condition" in the transatlantic relationship, marked by "additional layers of volatility and unpredictability."

Layla Moran, chair of the health select committee, remarked: "The only thing more surprising than Trump's temper tantrums is the UK government's naive belief that his administration is a trustworthy negotiator. The NHS is not a bargaining chip."

Official Reassurances and Concrete Outcomes

Government figures have attempted to minimize the risk of the US backing out of the pharmaceuticals deal. One source noted the US pharmaceutical industry itself had been advocating for the agreement, desiring stability on imports and pricing, making it less abstract than the paused tech deal.

Officials acknowledge that volatility is a feature of dealing with the current US leadership. However, they argue that the UK has achieved real benefits for businesses, such as reduced duties on automobiles compared to other nations. "Our achievement of 25% steel tariffs, which is better than the rate for the rest of the world, is a solid gain," one official said.

Nevertheless, issues have surfaced in carrying out the initial US-UK accord. Promised access for British beef have yet to be finalized, and the pledge to "remove tariffs on British steel and aluminium" has is still pending, with tariffs remaining at 25%.

As negotiations continue, the two sides have planned to recommence talks on the suspended digital agreement in January, following what were described as "very positive" meetings between UK and US officials in Washington.