The Government should increase the powers of a watchdog which monitors how supermarkets treat farmers in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit, South Lakes MP Tim Farron has said.

Speaking during a debate in Parliament yesterday, Mr Farron asked agriculture minister Robert Goodwill to increase the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator so it it can 'prevent supermarkets from taking advantage of the loss of export markets by paying our farmers a pittance' in the event of no deal after 31 October.

He said: “The export tariffs for UK farmers, including Cumbrian hill farmers, into the single market worry me the most.

In response, the minister said that the sheep meat market was his 'single biggest concern about a no-deal Brexit' and that leaving on World Trade Organisation rules would put 'tremendous pressure on the market'.