‘disastrous risks’ to food supply

mation of our social security system over the last decade.

“In the North West (of England), 83,000 three-day emergency food parcels were given to children by the Trussell Trust in 2018/19. We cannot put the future of the most vulnerable people in our country at risk as Prime Minister Johnson and his advisers stand to lose nothing.”

Mr Gove had also said “there will be no shortages of fresh food” if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

But the trade body for UK retailers said it was “categorically untrue” that such supplies would be unaffected in a no-deal Brexit scenario.

Responding to Mr Gove’s claim, a spokesman for the British Retail Consortium said it is “impossible to mitigate it fully as neither retailers nor consumers can stockpile fresh foods”.

Tim Roache, GMB general secretary said: “No-deal is no joke – it makes no sense for working people. The risks are writ large when it comes to the food we eat. With all the talk about coups and leave promises written on the side of buses, the real detail often gets missed. It’s time for Boris Johnson to come clean.

“With no deal, we’re likely to see a huge impact on everything from increased cost of the family shop and less choice on supermarket shelves, through to job losses in food production and reduced nutrition in school and hospital meals.

“The Government are walking us to a cliff edge and seem more interested in ideological Tory Party politicking than making sure we have a stable food supply.”