Farmers ‘forced to throw away food’ in new Keir Starmer Brexit betrayal | Politics | News
Labour’s Brexit betrayal could force British farmers to throw away domestically produced food, an expert has warned. Sir Keir Starmer’s capitulation to the EU could require the bloc’s food rules to be applied to Britain, placing new regulatory pressures on an industry already plagued by world-class bureaucratic procedures.
Food and Drink Federation (FDF) chief executive Karen Betts said the British sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal, which will see the UK effectively adopt EU farming regulations from next year, may leave producers with no option to use scrap products such as bakery chips, bread, cakes and potato chips.
The SPS deal was signed as part of the Labor Government’s May 2025 Brexit reset and is expected to require farmers to comply with revised regulations on pesticide approvals, among other changes, from mid-2027.
Miss Betts told Telegram: “If your potatoes were grown using a pesticide that is not approved by the EU, they will probably not be allowed to be sold in supermarkets within three years.”
He called on the government to “make sure the transition period is flexible enough for companies to deal with these types of situations so it doesn’t end up with a lot of food wasted and loads of baking shavings thrown away.”
This is not the first sound of alarm from the industry about the impact of closer ties with the EU on British farmers still reeling from Rachel Reeves’s introduction of a 20% inheritance tax, which replaced the previous exemption.
Tom Bradshaw, chief executive of the National Farmers’ Union, said moving towards the bloc should ensure “British farmers are not overly reliant on rules that constrain our ambitions for food production”.
A Government spokesman said: “Our food and drink deal will deliver billions of dollars for British industry; a smooth transition is critical to unlock this growth. The deal will mean fresher food on more supermarket shelves faster, better export opportunities for our farmers and stronger food security for the future.”
“We are working closely with farmers and producers to give them more information on preparing for the new regulations. We will continue to provide further support once deadlines and processes are clarified.”
