Monthly Archives: June 2022

DUBLIN Northern Irelands economy is growing faster than Britain's, according to new regional analysis.

The Office of National Statistics found that Northern Irelands gross domestic product grew 1.4 percent in the July-September quarter of 2021, compared with gains of 0.9 percent and 0.6 percent in Scotland and England, respectively. Economic activity in Wales shrank 0.3 percent over the same quarter.

Londons globally connected economy masked a wider English malaise. While the capital recorded 2.3 percent growth, only two of Englands eight other regions eked out any gains. The northeast, including Newcastle and Sunderland, fared worst, with a 1.2 percent slump.

The analysis based chiefly on the quarterly VAT returns on sales of goods and services at 1.9 million firms offered no judgment on why the economy of Northern Ireland, normally a laggard, is outpacing other parts of the U.K. this year.

Another recent U.K. economic analysis explicitly credited Northern Irelands continued access to barrier-free trade with the 27-nation EU as a key driver.

That picture is reinforced by monthly reports from Irelands Central Statistics Office, which has documented a string of record-high trade figures between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland since the January 2021 launch of post-Brexit trade rules.

Those rules include a U.K.-EU trade protocol that keeps Northern Ireland within the EU single market for goods. While the regions unionist leaders oppose the protocol because it requires EU customs and sanitary controls on British goods arriving in Northern Ireland, this arrangement also allows Northern Irish firms to avoid this red tape when trading with their Irish neighbors and the wider 27-nation EU.

This article is part ofPOLITICO Pro

The one-stop-shop solution for policy professionals fusing the depth of POLITICO journalism with the power of technology

Exclusive, breaking scoops and insights

Customized policy intelligence platform

A high-level public affairs network

See the article here:

Northern Ireland economy outpacing post-Brexit Britain - POLITICO Europe

Mark Brearley is still frustrated by Brexit. More than a year from Britains formal withdrawal from the EU, on terms agreed by Boris Johnsons government, exporting the goods his company produces hasnt got any easier for the London-based manufacturer.

Describing it as the same nightmare week after week, he says: A lot more time is spent with things going wrong. The EU really feels like the hardest place in the world to ship things to sometimes.

For the past seven decades the company Brearley runs, Kaymet, has made and sold tea trolleys, trays and hotplates from its factory just off the Old Kent Road to customers including the British royal family. Its thought that Kaymets wares were used by the queen celebrating her platinum jubilee this week on her coronation world tour. The company sells goods in 40 countries across the world.

But leaving the EU has added to Brearleys costs and makes selling items abroad more difficult. Theres loads of things I couldve been doing if it wasnt for these problems. We could do things that take us forward, rather than back, he says.

Official figures show that UK exports to the EU remain significantly below pre-Brexit levels, despite some recovery from an initial plunge in January 2021 at the end of the transition period. Exports had fallen 40% on the month as traders adapted to new red tape and border delays, but came back to finish last year down 11% compared with 2018 the year used by the Office for National Statistics as the most reliable comparison, before Brexit stockpiling and the Covid pandemic influenced trade flows.

However, concern is mounting that fresh Brexit roadblocks are looming as the government threatens to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol, which covers trade between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Despite Boris Johnson claiming to have got Brexit done, his government now views this central plank of his deal as broken.

Theres a sense of, Oh God, here we go again, says Brearley, who worries that Kaymet will suffer if the EU responds with fresh trade barriers.

Raoul Ruparel, who was Theresa Mays special adviser on Europe during the first round of Brexit negotiations, says companies could start dusting down their old no-deal Brexit plans if the situation worsens.

Any business will tell you its unhelpful, he says. In this case, a lot of them are just getting on with it and they just have to make the best of it. But what they dont want is constantly changing trade rules with the UK and the EU.

Despite business concerns of retaliation from Brussels, the government has insisted that pushing ahead is the right thing to do. The UKs solution to fix the problems with the protocol and protect the Belfast [Good Friday] Agreement will cut costs for businesses, remove unnecessary paperwork and protect UK and EU markets, a spokesperson said.

There could, however, be economic costs. Steffan Ball, the former chair of Philip Hammonds council of advisers when he was chancellor, and now chief UK economist at Goldman Sachs, says the most likely outcome is a compromise deal. Still, risks of significant economic impacts loom if one isnt reached, he warns.

Back in 2020, the Office for Budget Responsibility [OBR] estimated that a no-deal Brexit would reduce the level of real GDP by an additional 2% in the long run. In addition, the escalation in tensions raises the prospect of a trade war, with potential tariffs imposed on exports to the EU, he says. But this outcome is very unlikely in our view.

Even with the current deal, the OBR the Treasurys economics forecaster expects Brexit to cost the economy 4% of GDP over 15 years, double the long-term impact of the scarring from the Covid pandemic.

Trade figures suggest UK exporters are already feeling the pinch. According to the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, which tracks trends in global trade, goods exports in March from advanced economies including the UK, US, Japan and euro area were 2% above the monthly average for 2018, after adjusting for inflation. In the UK, however, real exports were almost 22% down in the same month.

Some sectors have suffered a more dramatic hit than others. Exports of clothing and footwear to the EU are both down by almost 60% compared with 2018. Meat exports have plunged by almost 25%, vegetables and fruit by 40%, while car exports are down by more than a quarter.

Paul Alger, director of international affairs at the UK Fashion and Textile Association, says the outsize hit for his industry is probably because many of the items sold by UK firms do not qualify for the post-Brexit trade deal. Under its terms, goods must meet rule of origin requirements, which require a certain proportion of an item to be domestically produced to benefit from tariff-free access. However, much of the clothing sold by UK retailers is made in Asia or the US, making it ineligible.

Theyre also finding that customs are very difficult in some countries. Particularly around labelling, said Alger. A lot of companies will say we didnt realise how good a deal we had for moving goods from the UK to the EU until we actually left.

In one example of shifting trade patterns, Marks & Spencer is setting up a warehouse to handle EU deliveries of clothing and homewares to reduce the impact of tariffs and export costs. The British high street stalwart said last week that Brexit had cost it 29.6m in profits and 15m in lost trade.

Danny Hodgson runs Rivet & Hide, which sells quality mens clothing from stores in London and Manchester as well as online. He says EU sales, which he spent a decade building, plunged by half in the first month after Brexit and never recovered.

Its really frustrating, he says. Rivet & Hide has pushed up prices for EU customers to include new tariffs, VAT and shipping costs.

I hear Johnson boasting about free trade and all the rest of it. I dont know how hes got the brass neck to talk about us doing free trade when basically hes the one whos imposed sanctions on our business. We were freely trading with the EU and now weve had tariffs imposed on us through our Brexit deals.

With Britains economy facing the risk of recession amid the cost of living crisis, Hodgson says the government has caused harm to the British economy that could have easily been avoided.

Were less profitable, theres a lot more work involved, theres a lot more hassle, but Im still slogging away at it in the hope one day things improve, he says. But if there was a trade war, it would finish that off.

View original post here:

Same nightmare week after week: UK firms fed up with post-Brexit EU trade - The Guardian

Brexit has led to a decline in crops and fewer home-grown products on the shelves of Britains supermarkets, farming chiefs have warned.

Farmers in Kent told a visiting group of MPs that it has become easier to import some fruits than harvest them because of strict limits on the number of seasonal workers from the EU.

Winterwood Farms, an agricultural giant based in the county, said its UK farms had been forced to leave 8 per cent of their fruit crop unharvested and would be planting less in future.

Stephen Taylor, managing director of Winterwood in Maidstone, said the governments advice to replace lost EU labour with British workers and robots showed how out of touch ministers had become.

The flow of people coming from Europe to work for the summer has declined every year since Brexit, particularly the last two summers, and as a direct result we are now growing less and importing more, he said.

Calling for more flexible seasonal work visas, he added: The government could still allow the same people to carry out the harvest but it has inexplicably decided to choke the industry instead.

Labour MP Hilary Benn led a delegation of MPs and industry chiefs to visit Winterwoods farms in Kent to see the difficulties they are facing with labour shortages.

They were told the problem had hit the whole farming sector resulting in less fresh, more expensive imported fruit in British supermarkets to cover the shortfall.

The UK Trade and Business Commission delegation, which is examining the impact of Brexit, also heard that British farmers off-season trade had also been badly hit.

Farmers could previously sell any surplus from overseas operations to EU markets, but new Brexit red tape means they must now pay to dispose of this fruit.

Mr Benn, co-convenor of the commission, said the governments immigration and trade policies were raising questions over our food security.

The senior Labour MP added: It is essential that ministers urgently consider the introduction of more flexible visas for seasonal workers and negotiate better trading terms on fresh produce with our European neighbours.

Stephen Taylor, managing director of Winterwood Farms, wants more flexibility over seasonal workers

(PA)

Mr Benn and co-convenor Peter Norris have written to home secretary Priti Patel and environment secretary George Eustice to request urgent meetings on the problems affecting British farms.

Naomi Smith, chief executive of the internationalist campaign group Best for Britain, said Boris Johnsons ministers might have to stomachmore European berries in their Pimms this summer.

She added: The governments insufficient Brexit deal, far from being oven ready, actually means quality home-grown produce is left to rot, and leaves British supermarkets with no choice but to import, meaning consumers have less choice, less fresh produce and higher prices.

A recent report by academics at the LSE Centre for Economic Performance found that Brexit had caused a 6 per cent increase in Britainsfood prices.

The study showed a clear and robust impact of Brexit-induced trade frictions increasing food prices for UK consumers as families continued to struggle with the cost of living crisis.

View post:

Brexit means fall in crops and fewer British products in supermarkets, farmers tell MPs - The Independent

Just when the whole of democratic Europe should be pulling together to counter the threat from Vladimir Putins Russia,a major rift between the European Union and Western Europes leading military power the United Kingdom has been widening. The problem is Brexit.

The U.K. is threatening to rip up part of the withdrawal deal it struck with the bloc just over two years ago on the grounds that its working badly in Northern Ireland.Trade between the British territory and the U.K. mainland has been disrupted and the regional governance of the province has broken down.

Some fear that this has imperiled the U.S.-brokeredGood Friday Agreement, a peace deal approved in 1998 that ended decades of violent struggle over British sovereignty in Northern Ireland.

Trading with the EU has certainly become a lot more complicated after Brexit. Just ask Archie Norman, chairman of the giant British food and clothing retailer Marks & Spencer. In an interview with the BBC, Norman revealed whats involved in sending just one truckload of goods across the Irish Sea to the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state.

Wagons have to carry 700 pages of documentation, he said. It takes eight hours to prepare the documentation, some of the descriptors have to be written in Latin, has to be in a certain typeface, it takes 30% more driver time. So its highly bureaucratic, very onerous and pretty pointless.

Itll be even more pointless, he said,when the Brexit grace periodends and he faces the same hassle sending goods across the Irish Sea to the British-owned northeast corner of the island of Ireland.

Quite a lot of product simply wouldnt get to Northern Ireland, and what does go there would be very, very costly, he said.

For most nonfood products arriving in Northern Ireland from the British mainland, the Brexit grace period is already over, and a wide swathe of goods from what is called Great Britain, or GB, has already been squeezed out of the Northern Ireland market.

Weve not brought a plant in from GB this year. Its just too much hassle, said Robin Mercer, who runs the Hillmount Garden Centre in Belfast.

Instead, hes had to buy his plants from further afield from EU countries like the Netherlands and Italy, where there are different weather and soil conditions. He believes the British plants are healthier and, after traveling shorter distances, arrive in better condition than their continental counterparts. He would prefer to import British plants.

Oh totally, he said. Weve worked with firms for 20, 30 years from GB. But its just so much paperwork now, so much hassle.

More than 200 companies based in Great Britain have stopped supplying Northern Ireland because of that hassle, according to the U.K. government.

But all these difficulties, said Mattia Di Ubaldo, a fellow at the U.K. Trade Policy Observatory, are theinevitable result of Brexit.

These checks are what typically applies to any third country that tries to import things into the EU, he said. The EU has to protect the integrity of the single market. They cannot allow a border where productscould leak intothe European Union without being subject to the checks.

And, he said, those checks have to take place when the goods enter the island of Ireland. They cannot take place between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

Avoiding a border in the island of Ireland was necessary to protect the peace process, he said, echoing the view of the large minority in the British province that wants a united Ireland.

That view of the border checks is shared by the government of the Irish Republic, the European Commission in Brussels and the U.S. administration, which all believe that checks between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic would undermine the Good Friday Agreement.

The trouble is that putting the border checks between the province and the rest of the U.K. instead under an arrangement called the Protocol has enraged many so-called unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain British. They believe that the Protocol itself undermines the Good Friday Agreement.

The Protocol must go, said Sammy Wilson of the Democratic Unionist Party, which is now refusing to take part in the assembly and power-sharing administration set up in the province by the Good Friday Agreement.

The Protocol is the poison in the system at present. There is no consent for the Protocol among any of the unionist representatives, Wilson said. The Good Friday Agreement requires the consent of both communities in Northern Ireland when it comes to any controversial or any important decisions.

The U.K. government in Londonagrees and has pledged to introduce a bill enabling it to suspend unilaterally parts of the Protocol if the EU doesnt agree to radical changes. Brexit-supporting lawmakers like Peter Bone welcomed the move.

The only way youre going to get the EU to come to the negotiation table and really negotiate with you is if you threaten them with that bill, he declared in a rowdy parliamentary session.

But Opposition spokesman on foreign affairs Stephen Doughty accused the government ofbad faith, of threatening to tear up a treaty that it signed just over two years ago.

Britain should be a country that keeps its word. The rest of the world is looking at us and wondering whether were a country they want to do business with, he said.

In the United States, Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, warned that Congress wouldnt agree to a free trade deal with the U.K. if the Brits ripped up the Protocol. The European Commission hinted at a trade war with the U.K. over the issue, and the U.S. State Department deplored this rift between the allies when they should be united behind Ukraine.

The EU said it is prepared to contemplate some changes in the Protocol but that it suspects the U.K. is trying to wriggle out of this key part of the withdrawal deal.

Meanwhile, the U.K. countered that the Protocol specifically acknowledged that the measure could be set aside if it proved unworkable. And both the political paralysis in the province and the trade disruption between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, said the government, show that the Protocol isnt working to the satisfaction of the unionists.

Theres a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.

You rely on Marketplace to break down the worlds events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.

Read the original:

Why the U.K. is threatening to tear up part of its Brexit treaty with the European Union - Marketplace

The EU told Britain it cannot gain associated member status for Horizon Europe until it resolves its dispute with the bloc over the Northern Ireland Protocol. This is despite the UKs involvement being a feature of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). It was planned that the UK would contribute 15billion over seven years so British researchers could access EU grants and collaborate with European partners.

Now, Universities UK is pleading with European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic to urgently resolve the row to rescue the UKs access to the programme.

The group wrote in the letter that the delay is being "keenly felt" by both the EU and UK with the situation "deteriorating every day that the uncertainty drags on".

The letter added: "Failure to secure UK association to Horizon Europe would be a lose-lose for health, wealth and wellbeing and would do a disservice to future generations in Europe and beyond.

Universities UK also warned that the situation is "close to the precipice.

The letter requests a meeting between Mr Sefcovic and UK vice-chancellors.

But this comes as negotiations with the EU continue to sour, with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss threatening to tear up the Protocol in recent weeks.

Following a phone call between Ms Truss and her EU counterpart in May, Mr Sefcovic warned that scrapping the protocol would be unacceptable.

He said in a statement: "It continues to be of serious concern that the UK government intends to embark on the path of unilateral action."

Mr Sefocivc added: "We have made clear that there is still potential to be explored in our proposals. We are still awaiting the response from the UK side."

But the back-and-forth is continuing to spark fears for British researchers.

READ MORE:Spains 'alternative plan' to cause 'substantial damage' to Putin

I can tell you today that the window for association is closing, and closing fast.

But while much of the science community will be hoping the negotiators can strike a deal, Science Minister George Freeman has come up with a backup plan in case Britain is permanently excluded.

It looks like it will involve teaming up with science and innovation powerhouses like our Five Eyes (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the US) partners, as well as countries like Japan.

The Science Minister has also been meeting counterparts in Switzerland, Sweden and Israel to explore striking partnerships with these powerhouses.

Read the rest here:

EU's Brexit chief warned of 'lose-lose' situation as he moves to TEAR UP 15bn TCA deal - Express

The Brexit argument will protect UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson from being ousted, Richard Tice claims, reporting on the prime minister's supporters view. Speculations go that the number of letters required to trigger a no-confidence motion could hit the threshold of 54 letters as soon as early next week. Even if he faces a no-confidence vote, Mr Tice argues, chances are he will remain in power.

Speaking to Talk TV presenter Jeremy Kyle, Mr Tice speculated: "All the indications Ive got are that the threshold is likely to be met probably 50/50 to be met early next week.

"And in that scenario, and as you say, there must be a vote of no confidence.

"And in that scenario, I think the reason that he will win a vote of no confidence is twofold, Jeremy.

"Firstly, what we call the payroll vote.

"Theres over 100 people who are essentially ministers, assistants or deputy ministers or parliamentary under-secretaries - theres all that stuff."

"And if theres a change of leader, many of those will lose their jobs", Mr Tice added.

"The other reason is that Boris supporters are going around saying that if he goes, then Brexit will be undermined and potentially fakie undermined.

"And for many Brexiteers in the Conservative Party in Westminster, that is absolutely fundamental.

Mr Tice then admitted: "I actually dont buy that.

"There are plenty of other potential candidates who I think would completely respect the direction of travel of the prime ministers take on Brexit."

READ MORE:Kick out Boris and you'll get Corbynistas in No10 warns CAROLE MALONE

Mr Tice continued: "Lets try and be fair and nice on this Jubilee weekend, he has a very interesting relationship with the truth.

"But heres the real thing that I think many people forget: hes stood in the House of Commons on a number of occasions and misled the House."

Unnamed Tory MPs told Insider they believe the threshold for a leadership vote may have been reached.

According to the same sources, Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee who collects the letters, is holding off until after the Queens Jubilee.

Follow this link:

Brexit to save Johnson ahead of 'likely' no-confidence vote as EU exit would be undermined - Express

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will put legislation before the House of Commons next month which would see Britain rip up and override large parts of the hated Northern Ireland Protocol. But the EUhas warned the UK will face fierce retaliation if it follows through with the plans - sparking fears of a potentially damaging post-Brexit trade war. Earlier this month, Joe Biden's spokesman issued a slap down to Boris Johnson over any move to amend the protocol, insisting he should instead show "leadership" and keep talking to EU envoys about the argument.

Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, has insisted the protocol is needed to maintain the peace agreement in Northern Ireland and warned any move from the UK to change it could endanger a trade deal with the US.

The intervention from Pelosi was followed by a warning from Derek Chollet, a senior adviser to the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, who urged Britain to avoid a big fight with the EU.

But Nile Gardiner, a Washington-based foreign policy expert and former aide to Margaret Thatcher, wants Mr Johnson to warn Mr Biden to stay firmly out of the row with the EU.

He told Express.co.uk: "Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi need to mind their own business as they are interfering in British internal matters.

"It is not the role of the US House or Speaker of the House of Representatives to lecture the British people on their own laws and policies.

"This is exactly what Biden and Pelosi are doing.

"It is a demonstration of a complete lack of respect for the UK and British people."

He added: "The Biden administration and Democrats in Congress are stirring the pot and creating a far more volatile situation.

READ MORE:Jubilee fury explodes as ex-Labour MP fumes at 'gross' celebrations

He used an appearance at a conservative think tank in Washington to attack the US President and warn the UK doesn't need "lectures" from outsiders.

Asked about the interventions from the Biden administration on the issue, Lord Frost said in a speech to the Heritage Foundation: "I know the administration is looking at this very closely. I'm not convinced the niceties are well understood.

"I get slightly frustrated when we are told by a third party, albeit a very important one in this context, how to manage these issues.

"It is our country that faced terrorism, faced the Troubles.

"I am old enough to remember having to check under my car every morning, as a diplomat, before I went to work. Most people were very affected in one way or another by this.

"So we don't need lectures from others about the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement. We are well aware of this and nobody wants to go back to it.

"In the end it has got to be our judgement about what is needed to preserve that agreement and preserve the unity of the country and the consent of everybody in Northern Ireland for these arrangements."

Read the original:

'Slapping Britain in the face!' Boris urged to warn Biden to 'back off' over Brexit row - Express

Amid mass flight cancellations, long queues and delays at airports largely attributed to a shortage of staff the aviation industry made a plea to the UK Government to allow them to recruit more workers from overseas. It has reportedly been rejected.

Sign up to our Opinion newsletter

Had the UK still been in the European Union, there would have been no need to ask for special permission. Companies could have simply recruited the necessary staff.

But, as Steve Heapy, chief executive of holiday firm Jet2, told the BBC, Brexit has taken hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people out of the employment market and that undoubtedly is having an impact.

Transport is far from the only sector crying out for staff.

Last month, for the first time since records began, labour market figures revealed there were more vacancies, 1.3 million, than unemployed people.

In an article for the Conversation website, experts Professor Donald Houston and Professor Paul Sissons warned: Places across the UK where job vacancies are concentrated are likely to experience sharp economic contractions if they are unable to attract more workers soon.

There are now about 100,000 fewer EU citizens working in the UK than at the start of the pandemic, they noted, while adding this had been more than offset by continued long-term growth in the number of non-EU foreign-born workers in the UK, with 170,000 more since March 2020.

The myth that cutting off the supply of EU workers would necessarily mean higher wages for UK-born people convinced many to vote for Brexit.

However, the inability to fill jobs that could have otherwise gone to EU nationals is about to cause not just disruption to our holiday plans, but serious problems for the economy.

And, with fears of a stagflation recession amid soaring global energy prices, the UK will need all the help it can get. There may be no going back to the EU anytime soon, but Brexiteer ideology, which may well be behind the UK Governments refusal to help the aviation industry, should be ditched forthwith.

See the article here:

Brexit effect: Shortage of airport staff is just the tip of an iceberg set to hit UK economy Scotsman comment - The Scotsman

Brexit could lead to a significant shortage of potatoes for Irish consumers by 2023, experts have warned.

Prior to the UKs departure from the EU, the majority of potato seed used by Irish farmers for varieties such as Kerr Pinks, Golden Wonders and British Queens had been imported from Scotland.

But under post-Brexit rules and following the UKs departure from the single market, exports of seed potatoes those not consumed but used to plant other potatoes from Scotland to Ireland are no longer allowed.

While many in Ireland are hopeful that the changes will spark a revival of home-grown Irish seed potatoes, experts warned this week that there is likely to be some disruption in the years ahead.

Its a bit of a conundrum to be honest; weve limited seed crops growing here and UK potato seed imports arent approved, Shay Phelan, a potato specialist at Irelands Agriculture and Food Development Authority, told the Irish Times.

A derogation was sought to import seed but it wasnt successful and that will have a big impact on some farmers. If we got access to a derogation for seed growers we could fill the gaps but even that would take a year or two.

Most growers should have enough seed for this year following a strong crop yield, meaning that consumers are unlikely to see a significant impact until 2023, Mr Shay said.

John Carroll, a grower in County Louth, warned that it will be a big issue unless something is done with the seed industry, telling the paper: We dont save seed because its completely different, thats why theres so few seed growers in Ireland because its hard to get right.

Irelands agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue has pledged to help revive Irelands own seed potato industry, with these efforts heavily reliant on production at the research farm, Tops Farm. But Mr Carroll warned it will take several years to fill the gap left by Brexit.

We need to get foundation stock and I dont know when Tops Farm will have tonnes of seed to give out and sell. This thing takes years to get right, he said.

Similarly, the Irish Farmers Associations (IFA) former national potato chairman Thomas McKeown told the Irish Times that Brexit provides a great opportunity here for seed growers, but it will take about three years and its going to be a bit of a pain, adding: Theres no quick fix.

While exports of seed potatoes from Great Britain to Northern Ireland have also been banned, the DUP has previously cited potatoes as a food whose strong domestic production means it should be safe from shortages.

Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) warned that the loss of the European market was significant north of the border.

The immediate seed potato export ban caused by Brexit disproportionately affected Scotland, because a significant portion of Scottish potatoes are grown as seed potatoes and are exported worldwide, NFUS spokesperson Bob Carruth told The Independent.

Sir Sean Connery's Aston Martin DB5 which is expected to fetch up to 1.4 million at auction. The family of the James Bond actor, who died in October 2020 aged 90, is selling the 1964 classic car to raise money for a philanthropy fund set up in his name

PA

Corgi Charles and friends enjoy a spot of tea during The Jubilee Tea Pawty at award winning doggy day care, Bruces

Ben Stevens/PinPep

Nottingham Forests Cafu celebrates after winning the Championship Play-Off Final against Huddersfield Town at Wembley

Action Images via Reuters

Balloons light up as they are tethered to the ground during the night glow at the Isle of Wight Balloon Festival at Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight

PA

A crow chases an urban fox, who has dug up a bird carcass, outside the Old Bailey, central London

PA

Pedestrians walk past a 'Living Wall' art project, produced in collaboration with The National Portrait Galler and the Earls Court Development Company, in west London

AFP/Getty

Guests during a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in London

PA

People walk past the Liverpool Street station sign along the Elizabeth Line on its first day of service as it joins the London Underground network in London, Britain

EPA

A young child amongst group of people thought to be migrants is carried by a member of the military as they are brought in to Dover, Kent

PA

Fernandinho of Manchester City lifts the Premier League trophy after their side finished the season as Premier League champions during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Aston Villa

Getty Images

France's Thibault Laly during day one of the Mercedes-Benz UCI MTB World Cup event in Fort William

PA

Chef Jamie Oliver takes part in the What an Eton Mess demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reconsider his U-turn on the Governments anti-obesity strategy

PA

Sculpture conservator Marisa Prandelli adjusts a display of heads of Cybermen in the monster vault at the Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder exhibition which opens at the World Museum later this month in Liverpool

Reuters

People cross Regent Street, decorated with flags to mark the upcoming platinum jubilee , to mark the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II

AP

Prime Minister Boris Johnson with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan on a Elizabeth Line train at Paddington station in London

PA

Protesters from Border Communities Against Brexit outside Hillsborough Castle during a visit by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Northern Ireland for talks with Stormont parties

PA

Queen Elizabeth II departs following the A Gallop Through History Platinum Jubilee celebration at the Royal Windsor Horse Show at Windsor Castle

PA

Heat haze softens the scene as a paraglider takes to the sky over the cliffs above Boscombe beach in Dorset

PA

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella as they leave 10 Downing Street, after a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson

PA

Rebekah Vardy leaves the Royal Courts Of Justice, London, during high-profile libel battle between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney

PA

A Goldeneye swims in the rain at Slimbridge wetlands, Gloucestershire

PA

Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales appears on a screen next to a painting of Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Gallery as he delivers the Queen's Speech during the State Opening of Parliament at the Houses of Parliament, in London

AFP/Getty

Linda Bainbridge (left) and Miyuki Griffin putting the finishing touches to The Crown, Orb and Sceptre exhibit as part of A Festival of Flowers' at Salisbury Cathedral. Hundreds of flower arrangers will be mounting 127 individual exhibits throughout the cathedral in honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee

PA

Durham Cathedral which stands on The Bailey, a peninsula formed by the River Wear looping around the historic centre of Durham

PA

Girls from Grace and Poise, the worlds first Muslim ballet school, perform during the Eid in the Square festival in Trafalgar Square, London

PA

Ballots are emptied from a ballot box to be counted, during local elections, at Wandsworth Town Hall, London

Reuters

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives at a polling station with his dog Dilyn to vote during local elections in Westminster, London

EPA

Rob Munday, creator of the first officially commissioned 3D/holographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, unveils a previously unseen portrait of the monarch to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, in London. The new portrait is named Platinum Queen: Felicity and is dedicated to the 20 years of friendship between The Queen and her personal assistant and close friend Miss Angela Kelly

AP

Alex Kelly from Eden Architectural Conservation cleans a gargoyle on the north doorway at Rosslyn Chapel in Roslin, Midlothian, as part of conservation maintenance

PA

People enjoy theme park rides at a funfair at Small Heath Park in Birmingham, as the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end and Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr

PA

Englands Ronnie OSullivan in action against Englands Judd Trump during day sixteen of the Betfred World Snooker Championship at The Crucible, Sheffield

PA

Visitors record images amongst azalea and rhododendron blossom in Richmond Park, London

Reuters

A giant puppet, controlled by four people, called Gnomus, the Caretaker of the Earth, performs at Stonehenge, near Amesbury, Wiltshire

PA

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in a TV studio during a visit to the BBC World Service at BBC Broadcasting House, London, to mark it's 90th year and to thank staff and learn how they are continuing their operations across Ukraine, Russia and Afghanistan

PA

Trafalgar Square in central London is covered in plants and flowers at the launch of an initiative to rewild and protect 2 million hectares of land. The temporary installation, which is made up of over 6000 plants, flowers, and trees, aims to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity in urban spaces, with visitors to the site invited to pick up and rehome one of the plants

PA

One of the Liverbirds that sits atop of the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool, is illuminated just before the sun rises over the city

PA

Prime Minister Boris Johnson paints over the white line of the centre circle during a visit to Bury FC at their Gigg Lane ground in Bury, Greater Manchester

Getty

A lone Grenadier Guard during the Dawn Service commemorating Anzac Day at the New Zealand Memorial at Hyde Park Corner, London

PA

Killy Cavendish during St George's Day celebrations in London's Trafalgar Square

PA

A demonstrator holds a pink smoke flare billowing over members of Extinction Rebellion staging a protest against the use of and investment in fossil fuel, outside offices of Vanguard Asset Management on Earth Day in the City of London

Reuters

The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), the City of London's Reserve Army Regiment, fire a 62 Gun Royal Salute at the Tower of London to mark the 96th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II

PA

Stella Morris the wife of Julian Assange talks to the media outside Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, after Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was formally issued with an order for extradition to the US to face espionage charges

PA

Sunrise behind the Bass Rock off the East Lothian coast near North Berwick

PA

Read more:

Theres no quick fix: Brexit could spark potato shortage in Ireland, experts warn - The Independent