British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has concluded a trade deal with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain — removing tariffs on 93% of UK goods and unlocking an estimated £3.7bn in export opportunities, particularly in food, luxury cars, defence, and financial services. The agreement, which took four years and four prime ministers to complete, is the third trade deal signed under Starmer and marks the first such pact between the GCC and any G7 country. However, the deal has drawn sharp criticism from trade unions, human rights groups, and opposition politicians for omitting a human rights chapter, with campaigners citing documented abuses across the Gulf region including forced labour and suppression of dissent.