Dreadful EU deal has created huge barriers

LIZ Truss is reported as telling the NFU conference: “Our farmers need access to new markets around the world, but we need to get rid of the barriers holding them back.”

The hypocrisy of this statement is astonishing!

The UK exports over twice as much food and drink to the EU as to non-EU countries but Boris Johnson’s dreadful deal with the EU has created enormous barriers of red-tape. The Food and Drink Federation stated that food exports to the EU declined by between 50-60% in January this year. A recent survey of supply chain managers found that delays were worse in February than they were in January. These are not ‘teething problems’, they are structural problems.

Due to the customs border down the Irish Sea, something

Boris Johnson said we would never have, health certificates are even needed to send sausages to Northern Ireland. Seemingly, as from July 1, exports of sausages to Northern Ireland will be banned all together unless another deal can be negotiated. The deal is disastrous for Northern Ireland, disastrous for our fishing industry and due to red-tape is proving to be disastrous for our farming and food industry.

We know what Boris Johnson said about business: “.... business”. It’s the same with food and farming – he just doesn’t give a... sausage.

Mike Baldwin Thorverton, Devon