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Elected officials have raised concerns that the United Kingdom's series of deals with Donald Trump are "fundamentally unstable." This stems from revelations that a so-called "milestone" deal on medicines, which pledges zero tariffs in exchange for the NHS increasing its costs, lacks any formal legal text beyond broad headline terms published in government press releases.

An Agreement in Principle Only

The arrangement concerning medicines, hailed as a "generational" achievement, is still an "agreement in principle" without detailed provisions. Critics have noted that the official announcements from the UK and US governments present the deal in markedly contrasting terms. The British version celebrates securing "duty-free access" as a singular success, while the American announcement highlights the commitment for the NHS to pay 25% more for new medications.

"We face a genuine possibility that the UK government has promised concessions to increase medicine costs in return for little more than a verbal promise from President Trump," said David Henig, a trade expert. "History shows he has a record of not honouring his word."

Broader Instability and a Paused Tech Deal

Anxieties have been amplified by Washington's move to suspend the major technology agreement, which was previously called "a transformative pact" in the bilateral relationship. The US pointed to a failure to advance from the UK on addressing wider trade issues as the reason for the pause.

In a separate development, concessions promised for British farmers as part of an initial accord have not been formally signed off by the US, despite a fast-approaching January deadline. "Our understanding is that the US has failed to approve the agreed beef export quotas," said Tom Bradshaw of the National Farmers' Union.

Anxiety Behind Closed Doors

Behind the scenes, ministers have voiced worries that the government's US-UK accords are unstable and unpredictable. One minister reportedly said 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, argued: "What is even more astonishing than Trump's temper tantrums is the UK government's optimistic assumption that his administration is a reliable partner. The NHS is not a bargaining chip."

A Mixed Picture of Success and Setback

Government figures have sought to reduce the risk of the US backing out of the pharmaceuticals deal. One source noted the US pharmaceutical industry itself had been lobbying for the agreement, wanting clarity on imports and pricing, making it more concrete than the paused tech deal.

Officials concede that unpredictability is a feature of dealing with the Trump administration. However, they argue that the UK has achieved real benefits for businesses, such as reduced duties on automobiles compared to other nations. "Securing 25% steel tariffs, which is more favorable than the rate for the rest of the world, is a solid gain," one official said.

Nevertheless, problems have surfaced in implementing the initial US-UK accord. Promised access for British beef have not materialized, and the commitment to "reduce steel tariffs to zero" has remains unmet, with tariffs staying at 25%.

As negotiations continue, the two sides have planned to recommence talks on the paused tech prosperity deal in January, following what were described as "productive" meetings between UK and US officials in Washington.