Oliver The UK government has hit back against claims by opposition parties that the newly-agreed trade deal with India could disadvantage British workers.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC there was "no situation" in which he would "ever tolerate" British workers being undercut as a result of a trade agreement.
One part of the deal extends an exemption on national insurance contributions (Nics) from one to three years – meaning people on short-term visas will only make social security payments in their home country when working abroad.
Opposition parties claim this could mean Indian workers are cheaper to employ than British workers – not least since UK employer Nics have just risen.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch claimed she had refused a similar trade-off when she was business secretary, because the deal contains "two-tier taxes" which would cost the UK "hundreds of millions".
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said the exemption risked "undercutting British workers at a time when they're already being hammered by Trump's trade war and Labour's misguided jobs tax".
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the deal as "truly appalling", adding: "This government doesn't give a damn about working people.
