Jeremy Corbyn has pledged to stop a ‘No Deal Carnage’ he warned could result in the slaughter of million lambs.

The Labour leader visited sheep on a Cumbria farm today – where he warned no-deal represents a ‘reckless and unnecessary act’ for 50,000 UK farmers.

A quarter of Europe’s sheep live in the UK, with a peak of 32 million sheep. The industry is worth more than £1.2billion per year.

Mr Corbyn said he would do “everything necessary” to stop a ‘No Deal Carnage,’ which research suggests could cost the farming industry £850million a year.

British farmers could face an EU tariff of 46% on lamb leading to fears that, if the lamb meat cannot be sold, there will be culls of millions of sheep to prevent them dying of starvation.

The Government insists culling livestock is "absolutely not on the cards".

But Mr Corbyn said: "The needless, forced slaughter of millions of sheep is the perfect metaphor for a no-deal Brexit .

"The damage to our farming industry of such a reckless and unnecessary act is symbolic of Boris Johnson's approach to Brexit.

"There is no mandate for this no-deal carnage, which we will do everything necessary to stop."

His comments echo those last month by Shadow Brexit Minister Jenny Chapman.

She tweeted that “the No Deal contingency plan… would require the slaughter and burial of up to 9 million sheep.”

Former Environment Secretary Michael Gove responded that her comments were “mutton headed nonsense.”

If Britain crashes out without a deal on October 31, farmers would face steep tariffs on exports of lamb, poultry and beef, and lose access to the EU subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

According to the National Farmers Union (NFU), 94% of British lamb is exported to the EU with almost no market beyond it – leading to suggestions No Deal Brexit could leave British farmers with 9 million unsold lambs.

The National Sheep Association warned farmers could have to destroy their flocks in so-called “welfare culls” to avoid them starving to death.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said farmers will have enough support after Brexit.

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