Boris Johnson’s claims about the US lifting a ban on British lamb have been branded “misleading” by his own Government officials.
Leaked emails reveal it is “extremely unlikely” kebabs and koftas will be part of the initial deal – despite the Prime Minister saying they would be.
An official said there is no “deadline” for lifting the ban.
Johnson’s announcement prompted a civil servant to email a colleague telling him “some of what he said was misleading”.
SNP MSP and ex-sheep farmer Jim Fairlie said: “Boris Johnson has been skewered by his own dishonesty. These are damning revelations from inside the UK Government which appear to show the Prime Minister has blatantly tried to mislead people.”
British lamb exports to the US have been banned since 1989, following the first outbreak of mad cow disease.
In a trip last week to the US, Johnson raised the hopes of UK lamb producers by claiming the ban would be axed.
He boasted: “I can tell you today that what we’re going to get from the US now is a lifting of the decades-old ban – totally unjustified, discriminating against British farmers – the ban on British lamb.
“We are going to be able to export British lamb to the US for the first time in decades.
He said: “It will be for the kebabs, the koftas, the lamb burgers… the people of the US will be supplied at last by Britain.”
Emails from inside Defra – the UK Government Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – raise serious questions about Johnson’s claims.
An email from September 23, a day after the announcement, sees one official say: “I wanted to reach out to you in light of the Prime Minister’s statement to the media yesterday with regards to market access for UK lamb to the US and the lifting of the current ban – some of what he said was misleading and as a result we have prepared some reactive lines, please see email below.
“I must stress that these are not public lines – they are from a policy perspective only, to provide an overview of the current situation.”
The email made clear the ban had “not yet been lifted” and there would be “many steps to be taken” before exports could go ahead.
The official noted: “Kebabs, koftas – as named by the PM – are extremely unlikely to be initially eligible for exports due to specific requirements for such products.
“Defra will be drafting reactionary lines to regain some control over narrative ASAP. Please watch this space.”
The official also wrote that, “if pushed”, the following could be said: “We understand the ultimate publication of the updated rule, and therefore the ‘lifting of the ban’ is not subject to a deadline.”
In 2019, it was estimated that sheep meat exports from Scotland totalled £32million, with the European Union accounting for around more than 99 per cent.
Labour’s Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “Once again, Boris Johnson has been skewered by the truth. There was no substance to his promises and he’s been left looking sheepish.”
A spokeswoman for Defra said: “We don’t comment on leaked documents.”
A departmental source said Johnson and Biden agreed the ban should be lifted, and “we are working through the details to implement it”.
Downing Street has been approached for comment.
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