Brussels prepares to offer UK concession in agricultural deal

Exclusive: UK can keep ban on live animal exports, sources say, in fillip for Keir Starmer’s efforts to negotiate closer ties with EU

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Brussels is preparing to offer Keir Starmer a key concession in talks over an agricultural deal, giving the beleaguered prime minister an important victory in his efforts to move closer to the EU.

European officials have conceded that the UK can keep its ban on live animal exports as part of any joint deal on food and agricultural products, according to sources on both sides of the talks, even though the EU has not imposed such a ban.