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Government ministers and leading parliamentarians have raised concerns that the United Kingdom's recent agreements with the US administration are "built on sand." This stems from revelations that a recently announced deal on medicines, which pledges zero tariffs in exchange for the NHS paying more, lacks any formal legal text beyond vague headline terms published in government press releases.

An Agreement in Principle Only

The deal on drug tariffs, promoted as a "significant" achievement, exists as an "statement of intent" without detailed provisions. Critics have noted that the public statements from the UK and US governments describe the deal in markedly contrasting terms. The British version celebrates securing "duty-free access" as a singular success, while the American announcement highlights the expectation for the NHS to pay 25% more for new medications.

"We face a genuine possibility that the UK government has made commitments to raise drug prices in return for little more than a pledge from President Trump," said David Henig, a trade expert. "History shows he has a tendency for not following through on agreements."

Broader Instability and a Paused Tech Deal

Worries have been intensified by Washington's move to pause the high-value digital accord, which was previously heralded as "a huge leap forward" in the bilateral relationship. The US cited a failure to advance from the UK on reducing other tariffs as the reason for the pause.

In a separate development, concessions secured for British farmers as part of an initial accord have still not been formally signed off by the US, despite a looming January deadline. "It is our belief that the US has not finalized the reciprocal tariff rate quota," said Tom Bradshaw of the National Farmers' Union.

Anxiety Behind Closed Doors

Privately, ministers have admitted unease that the government's deals with Washington are unstable and unpredictable. One minister was quoted as stating the series of agreements as "built on sand," while another framed the situation as the "new normal" in the transatlantic relationship, marked by "additional layers of volatility and unpredictability."

Layla Moran, chair of the health select committee, stated: "What is even more astonishing than Trump's temper tantrums is the UK government's credulous faith that his administration is a good faith actor. The NHS is not a bargaining chip."

A Mixed Picture of Success and Setback

Officials 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, seeking certainty on imports and pricing, making it more concrete than the paused tech deal.

Officials acknowledge that instability is a feature of dealing with the Trump administration. However, they contend that the UK has obtained tangible results for businesses, such as preferential tariff rates compared to other nations. "The fact we have 25% steel tariffs, which is lower than the rate for the rest of the world, is a solid gain," one official said.

Nevertheless, issues have emerged in implementing the initial US-UK accord. Promised access for British beef have not materialized, and the commitment to "remove tariffs on British steel and aluminium" has remains unmet, with tariffs remaining at 25%.

Moving forward, the two sides have agreed to resume talks on the suspended digital agreement in January, following what were described as "constructive" meetings between UK and US officials in Washington.