FDF warns Brexit fatigue must not lead to lack of deal scrutiny

Brexit fatigue must not allow the UK to “sleepwalk” into a disastrous withdrawal deal, food leaders have warned.

The FDF said it welcomed Oliver Letwin’s amendment, which saw an expected vote on Saturday over PM Boris Johnson’s deal with European leaders delayed to allow more scrutiny of the proposals.

With the government seeking to have a meaningful vote on the PM’s deal today - and Labour pushing for the UK to remain in a customs union with the EU - FDF CEO Ian Wright said getting a deal that provided certainty for thousands of food and drink businesses was far more important than haste in leaving the EU.

The FDF said it had major reservations about the deal, especially plans for a customs border at ports going to Northern Ireland.

“Everybody has had enough of the Brexit debate,” said Wright.

“It is, though, vital that we don’t allow the fact that the nation is exhausted to mean we sleepwalk into mistakes that will haunt the UK economy for a generation.

“We welcome the Letwin amendment. The most urgent priority for the food and drink industry has been to prevent a no-deal exit from the EU on 31 October. The Letwin amendment does that job.”

He added: “We welcome more time to scrutinise the new Brexit deal and the legislation designed to enact it. We must also make sure the implementation period is adequate to pass the necessary UK legislation and for businesses to fully adapt. It is important that all of the consequences - including the damaging loss of frictionless trade and regulatory divergence with the EU that the new deal heralds - are properly understood before MPs make their decision.”

Meanwhile food and drink leaders in Northern Ireland have called for politicians to do all they can to avoid a no-deal exit.

Speaking at the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association Annual Dinner, chairman Brian Irwin said: “We have lobbied consistently, at all levels, to make it clear that a no-deal Brexit is unthinkable for the food industry. We cannot entertain it. As an industry we cannot operate with a border on the island of Ireland, nor can we absorb tariffs to export to Europe.

“We need a workable solution. The UK-EU withdrawal deal we can broadly welcome - it offers important safeguards for NI businesses to continue trading east-west and north-south.

“There is still a considerable amount of detail to be worked out but many key areas have been addressed. We would urge flexibility from our political leaders at this time in order to progress with a deal.”