Campaigners from the animal rights group, Animal Equality, hold placards depicting birds in cages an (Image: Getty)
Trade talks have blocked progress on Labour’s foie gras import ban, campaigners have warned.
A letter from the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that while the Government recognises the “serious welfare concerns” surrounding the food’s production, it is unable to provide clarity on future action because of private discussions with international trade partners.
The letter to a concerned member of the public said it is “too early to discuss this in greater detail”.
Abigail Penny, executive director of Animal Equality UK, said: “The Government made a public promise in the run up to the election to end the import of foie gras made by force-feeding, a product of immense animal cruelty. Surely officials are not willing to now trade away that promise behind closed doors? Britons want to see an end to this cruel product on our shores – the Government must represent its people, not cave in to vested interests from those overseas.
Read more: Labour under pressure to deliver on promise to ban foie gras imports
“Prioritising profit through trade deals over genuine animal protection is unacceptable to the British public, especially since nearly nine out of 10 are in favour of a ban. A halt on foie gras imports cannot be sacrificed at the negotiation table.”
Before the election the environment secretary Steve Reed said Labour would “ban the commercial import of foie gras, where ducks and geese are aggressively force-fed”.
Defra’s letter also cited the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement as a reason for the continued silence.
The SPS aims to streamline trade in agricultural and food products and forms part of Sir Keir Starmer’s broader EU-UK reset.
Foie gras is made by a process known as gavage, in which grain is poured into a funnel that has been forced down a bird’s neck. The process swells the animal’s liver to many times its normal size.
Defra said: “The government shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and has made clear that the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force feeding raises serious welfare concerns.
“Foie gras production using force feeding has been banned in the UK for 17 years as it is not compatible with our animal welfare legislation. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers. It is too early to discuss this in greater detail at this point.”
GB News interrupted for migrant ‘breaking news’ as Keir Starmer dealt humiliating blow
Keir Starmer was delivered a crushing blow as GB News aired a “breaking” announcement on migrants. The programme was interrupted to share the government’s new plan to crack down on social media content which promotes small boat crossings. New laws will make it a crime to advertise transport across the Channel in a small boat, with offenders risking up to five years in prison. While some believe it is a step in the right direction, GB News presenter Ben Leo took aim at the Prime Minister.
He raged: “The issue with this story is, we are going to be jailing these people in the UK as if we have so many free prison spaces anyway. We are literally letting paedophiles and child abusers walk free from sentencing because there’s no space.” American broadcaster Lewis Schaffer blasted the government for not taking responsibility, remarking: “They say people have been forced to come because there’s some trafficker who’s been offered money and if we get rid of the trafficker then no one will want to come to the country. It’s a huge plot to bring people to the country.”
Former Labour special adviser Paul Richards defended the plans, telling the presenter he “can’t have it both ways”.
He continued: “Week after week you’re saying we need to do more to crack down so Yvette Cooper comes out with something which is cracking down and putting these people where they belong, behind bars. I think it’s a good idea. It’s another step forward in breaking this business model.”
Leo fumed: “Let me clear, I don’t want these people in the country in the first place, let alone in our prisons.”
Richards hit back: “Good, well lock up the people who are trying to get them here.”
Believing no one will actually serve jail time, Schaffer claimed: “It doesn’t matter because it’s just a small number of people you’re pinning the blame on.”
The GB News panel slammed Keir Starmer after the government announced new plans to tackle migrant crossings (Image: Getty)
But it was Peter Bleksley who delivered a humiliating blow to the Prime Minister, declaring: “It’s a very clear sign that when it comes to ‘smashing the gangs’, which your almighty leader promised us, they’re making it up as they go along.”
He claimed the government saw an advertisement of illegal crossings and decided to create a law to lock those people up.
Bleksley continued: “It shows they’re doing it on the hoof. They haven’t really strategised this. They don’t have an actual solution to stop people coming into the country,” later declaring: “We all see through it, Paul.”
Agreeing with police and crime expert, Schaffer said: “It’s so fraudulent. That’s the problem with the government, they’re all fraudulent. Just put a boat between here and France.”
