Brexit news – live: UK may send Covid jabs to EU, as 100,000 pigs ‘stranded’ on farms in border chaos

Boris Johnson’s spokesman has repeatedly refused to rule out diverting doses of the coronavirus vaccine to the continent, as the row over EU supplies escalates.

Britain and the EU stand on the brink of a vicious vaccine war after Brussels demanded the diversion of jabs produced in the UK. Keir Starmer denied Labour suggested signing up to the EU’s procurement scheme, accusing Mr Johnson of making “false” claims.

Meanwhile, farmers have revealed that more than 100,000 surplus pigs are “stranded” on farms across the UK because of Brexit bureaucracy. The National Pig Association (NPA) has demanded an urgent meeting with the government about an export slump caused by red tape complexities.

It comes as Boris Johnson’s government has announced it has scrapped its controversial post-Brexit review of employment rights. Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said he did not wish to “water down” workers’ protections.

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