The UK has signalled it will look to protect Brexit freedoms to allow the gene editing of crops and higher animal welfare standards despite committing to align with EU law in a food and drink deal.

Ministers have previously acknowledged Britain will need exemptions from alignment with EU law in the food deal – the flagship trade policy in Sir Keir Starmer’s Brexit reset – but refused to discuss details of what carve-outs it will seek .

But a private Government letter, shared exclusively with The i Paper , reveals more explicit details about the UK’s negotiating strategy with talks looming this autumn ahead of a self-imposed 2027 deadline to get the agreement New Feature

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The letter from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural

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