Post-Brexit EU ban on British sausages 'nonsense', Environment Secretary says

8 June 2021, 8:17 | Updated: 8 June 2021, 8:24

Environment secretary George Eustice has insisted "there's no problem with our sausages or indeed our chicken nuggets".

Amid ongoing issues over the Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU, Mr Eustice told LBC he had "no idea" why the bloc imposed "idiosyncratic" rules.

Nick Ferrari questioned the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice over a possible Northern Ireland post-Brexit trade war over sausages.

Mr Eustice said he did not think "there was any need for a trade war," over the issue.

He added that "there's no problem with our sausages, or indeed our chicken nuggets."

But, the Secretary of State was able to point out a "quirk" in EU law which means sausages from a third nation state cannot be sold within the European Union.

Nick seemed shocked that the UK was not able to sell sausages in Europe and Mr Eustice confirmed this to be the case.

"You might ask why the European Union has this peculiar ban on the sale of sausages," the MP said.

Which Nick did.

"I've no idea, but I suspect it links to some kind of perception they cannot trust any country that is not an EU country to make sausages," Mr Eustice said.

But, he branded this a "nonsense," adding he thinks "we have a very good sausage industry in this country."

The Daily Telegraph reported the UK is unilaterally considering extending a "grace period" to allow Northern Irish shops to continue selling chilled meats - including sausages and mince - from Britain once it expires at the end of June.