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UK and Gulf strike historic multi-billion-pound trade deal

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UK agrees 3.7bn trade deal with six Gulf states

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UK strikes £3.7bn trade deal with six Gulf states

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Landmark Gulf trade deal ‘will boost growth by £3.7bn’

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Uk Trade Deal With Gulf Turns A Blind Eye To Human Rights Abuses Say Campaigners

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UK-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) trade deal: conclusion summary

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'Brexit has worked!' Labour warned NOT to submit Britain to European Union's 'economic slavery'

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UK re-entry into the European Economic Area

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Sharon Graham

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"Today's #GDP growth figures are still a long way from @Keir_Starmer's target of 2.5% and it is far from clear that we are heading in the right direction."

"Labour are promising to be the fastest-growing country in the G7. And our growth forecast is 2% or less every single year of this parliament? Yeah, good luck with that."

"The economy is expected to grow by just over 1 per cent this year, rising to 2 per cent in 2025."

Research shows that "deep alignment with the EU on goods and services will deliver 2.2% economic growth to the UK."

"Closer ties with the EU could deliver growth of up to 2.2%. Clawing back up to half the damage caused by Brexit."

Will the UK Economy Grow By 2% GDP In a Year Under Labour?

The U.K. concluded a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Wednesday, becoming the first G7 nation in history to strike such a deal with the bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

The U.K. concluded a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Wednesday, becoming the first G7 nation in history to strike such a deal with the bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

The U.K. government estimates the deal will add £3.7 billion ($4.7 billion) annually to the British economy compared to previous 2040 projections and raise real wages by £1.9 billion per year, while bilateral trade between the U.K. and the GCC could increase by as much as 19.8%.

The U.K. government estimates the deal will add £3.7 billion ($4.7 billion) annually to the British economy compared to previous 2040 projections and raise real wages by £1.9 billion per year, while bilateral trade between the U.K. and the GCC could increase by as much as 19.8%.

Under the terms of the arrangement, the GCC will remove tariffs worth an estimated £580 million a year on 93% of U.K. goods once the deal is fully implemented, with £360 million in duties scrapped the day the agreement enters into force. In return, the U.K. will liberalize all tariffs on GCC goods from day one, excluding pork, chicken and eggs.

Under the terms of the arrangement, the GCC will remove tariffs worth an estimated £580 million a year on 93% of U.K. goods once the deal is fully implemented, with £360 million in duties scrapped the day the agreement enters into force. In return, the U.K. will liberalize all tariffs on GCC goods from day one, excluding pork, chicken and eggs.

U.K. food and drink exports stand to benefit, with tariffs on British exports of cheddar cheese (6%), chocolate (15%), butter (10%) and Scottish smoked salmon (5%), among others, eliminated immediately, as the GCC imports over 80% of its foodstuffs.

U.K. food and drink exports stand to benefit, with tariffs on British exports of cheddar cheese (6%), chocolate (15%), butter (10%) and Scottish smoked salmon (5%), among others, eliminated immediately, as the GCC imports over 80% of its foodstuffs.

Likewise, all tariffs on U.K. passenger car exports to the GCC will be lifted, with the GCC to initially abolish duties on 90% of current U.K. car exports, including hybrids, before extending the same treatment to electric vehicles and electric batteries after 10 years.

Likewise, all tariffs on U.K. passenger car exports to the GCC will be lifted, with the GCC to initially abolish duties on 90% of current U.K. car exports, including hybrids, before extending the same treatment to electric vehicles and electric batteries after 10 years.

The deal also strengthens U.K. market access in the GCC for services — which account for half of its exports to the bloc — introduces new business mobility measures and allows U.K. firms to store and process Gulf-related financial data outside the region for the first time, saving them the cost of establishing local data centers.

The deal also strengthens U.K. market access in the GCC for services — which account for half of its exports to the bloc — introduces new business mobility measures and allows U.K. firms to store and process Gulf-related financial data outside the region for the first time, saving them the cost of establishing local data centers.

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The UK concluded a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on May 20, 2026, becoming the first G7 nation to strike such a deal with the bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

The UK concluded a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on May 20, 2026, becoming the first G7 nation to strike such a deal with the bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

The deal is projected to add £3.7 billion annually to the UK economy in the long run compared to 2040 projections and raise real wages by £1.9 billion a year, while bilateral trade between the UK and GCC could increase by 19.8%.

The deal is projected to add £3.7 billion annually to the UK economy in the long run compared to 2040 projections and raise real wages by £1.9 billion a year, while bilateral trade between the UK and GCC could increase by 19.8%.

Tariffs worth an estimated £580 million a year will be removed on around 93% of UK goods exported to the GCC once fully implemented, with £360 million in duties scrapped from day one the agreement enters into force.

Telegraph

Tariffs worth an estimated £580 million a year will be removed on around 93% of UK goods exported to the GCC once fully implemented, with £360 million in duties scrapped from day one the agreement enters into force.

UK food and drink exports stand to benefit significantly, with tariffs on cheddar cheese eliminated immediately and duties of up to 15% on chocolate and biscuits also removed, as the GCC imports more than 80% of its food.

UK food and drink exports stand to benefit significantly, with tariffs on cheddar cheese eliminated immediately and duties of up to 15% on chocolate and biscuits also removed, as the GCC imports more than 80% of its food.

The deal allows UK firms to store and process data outside the Gulf region for the first time and includes the most ambitious mobility commitments the GCC has granted any trading partner, easing visa access for British professionals.

The deal allows UK firms to store and process data outside the Gulf region for the first time and includes the most ambitious mobility commitments the GCC has granted any trading partner, easing visa access for British professionals.

Rights groups including the Trade Justice Movement criticized the agreement for lacking a human rights chapter, citing concerns over labor protections and press freedom, while the National Farmers' Union called it the best agricultural deal since Brexit.

Rights groups including the Trade Justice Movement criticized the agreement for lacking a human rights chapter, citing concerns over labor protections and press freedom, while the National Farmers' Union called it the best agricultural deal since Brexit.

The UK-GCC trade deal is a landmark achievement that puts Britain ahead of every other G7 nation in securing access to one of the world's fastest-growing markets. Removing an estimated $580 million in annual duties while boosting GDP by $3.7 billion a year and raising real wages by $1.9 billion makes this a concrete win for British workers and businesses alike. Five major trade deals secured — this is what serious economic leadership looks like.

The UK-GCC trade deal is a landmark achievement that puts Britain ahead of every other G7 nation in securing access to one of the world's fastest-growing markets. Removing an estimated $580 million in annual duties while boosting GDP by $3.7 billion a year and raising real wages by $1.9 billion makes this a concrete win for British workers and businesses alike. Five major trade deals secured — this is what serious economic leadership looks like.

Keir Starmer

The UK-GCC deal delivers economic gains so marginal the government's own modeling puts the GDP boost at just 0.06% to 0.11% by 2035 — a negligible return for abandoning any enforceable human rights or labor protections. Gulf investors now gain the power to sue the UK government over domestic policies that affect their holdings, deepening entanglement in a legal system already costing Britain dearly. Trading away accountability for scraps is not a trade strategy worth celebrating.

The UK-GCC deal delivers economic gains so marginal the government's own modeling puts the GDP boost at just 0.06% to 0.11% by 2035 — a negligible return for abandoning any enforceable human rights or labor protections. Gulf investors now gain the power to sue the UK government over domestic policies that affect their holdings, deepening entanglement in a legal system already costing Britain dearly. Trading away accountability for scraps is not a trade strategy worth celebrating.

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei

UK Seals Historic Free Trade Deal With Gulf States

United Kingdom

Politics

This trade deal is a landmark achievement that puts Britain ahead of every other G7 nation in securing access to one of the world's fastest-growing markets. By removing an estimated £580 million in annual duties while boosting GDP by £3.7 billion a year and raising real wages by £1.9 billion, the government is putting in the work to help workers and businesses alike prosper.

This trade deal is a landmark achievement that puts Britain ahead of every other G7 nation in securing access to one of the world's fastest-growing markets. By removing an estimated £580 million in annual duties while boosting GDP by £3.7 billion a year and raising real wages by £1.9 billion, the government is putting in the work to help workers and businesses alike prosper.

The U.K. government has sold its soul in exchange for peanuts. According to its own modelling, this trade deal will only have a negligible impact on the U.K. economy. In exchange, the U.K. has abandoned any pretence of championing better human rights or labor protections in these countries, which can now sue the government over domestic policies affecting their holdings.

The U.K. government has sold its soul in exchange for peanuts. According to its own modelling, this trade deal will only have a negligible impact on the U.K. economy. In exchange, the U.K. has abandoned any pretence of championing better human rights or labor protections in these countries, which can now sue the government over domestic policies affecting their holdings.

This trade deal is undoubtedly a win for Britain, but one that could only have been possible thanks to Brexit and the negotiating freedoms that came with it. It is ironic, then, that elements of the Labour government wish to reverse that democratic decision and drag the U.K. back into Europe, which would fatally undermine the U.K.'s ability to make its own trade deals.

This trade deal is undoubtedly a win for Britain, but one that could only have been possible thanks to Brexit and the negotiating freedoms that came with it. It is ironic, then, that elements of the Labour government wish to reverse that democratic decision and drag the U.K. back into Europe, which would fatally undermine the U.K.'s ability to make its own trade deals.

David Campbell Bannerman

There is a 61% chance that the United Kingdom will join the European Economic Area before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There is a 61% chance that the United Kingdom will join the European Economic Area before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

UK Seals Historic Free Trade Deal With Gulf States

UK Seals Historic Free Trade Deal With Gulf States

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UK Seals Historic Free Trade Deal With Gulf States

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