No-one will be able to destroy British sausage: minister

LONDON: The UK government will “stand up for the British sausage and no-one will ever be able to destroy it”, a trade minister has insisted.

Conservative frontbencher Ranil Jayawardena made the pledge amid a row between the EU and the UK over the meat product. Brussels has threatened to launch a trade war against Britain if it fails to implement checks on goods entering Northern Ireland under the terms of the Brexit “divorce” settlement.

UK Brexit Minister Lord Frost also refused to rule out the prospect that the UK could unilaterally delay imposing checks on British-made sausages and other chilled meats due to come into force at the end of the month.

Speaking in the Commons, Labour’s Paula Barker (Liverpool, Wavertree) said: “Can I ask the ministers to impress on their Cabinet colleagues the need to resolve these delays and press for a speedy resolution in order to facilitate efficient trade across borders?”

Jayawardena replied: “We have called for pragmatism in this area. We are a sovereign nation, we are British and we are proud of it, and we are going to stand by every corner of this country as we deliver trade benefits and create jobs.

“In respect of the issues around meat, it is wrong that anyone should be threatening the British sausage. We will stand up for the British sausage and no-one will ever be able to destroy it.”