Defra Minister George Eustice has said he faces ‘challenges’ in getting Tory leadership candidate Liz Truss to enshrine animal welfare in trade deals.

Speaking at a hustings meeting on behalf of leadership candidate Rishi Sunak, the environment minister backed the former chancellor of the exchequer saying: “He’s got a position that I am much more comfortable with than I suspect will be the position with Liz Truss, and that is the position on international trade – he has made it clear that we shouldn’t compromise on animal welfare standards.

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"It is fair to say there were some challenges I had in getting Liz Truss to recognise the importance of animal welfare in particular and that we should reflect it in trade agreements.”

A spokesperson for the Truss campaign said: “Trade deals are essential for growing our economy and giving farmers the opportunity to sell more of their world class British produce to markets across the world. We have always been clear we will never lower food standards.”