A STARK warning about the threat of a no-deal Brexit has been issued amid claims Boris Johnson offered “no support” to Cumbrian farmers in a letter to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).

According to Alistair Mackintosh, the Cumbrian council delegate for the NFU, NFU chiefs wrote to the Prime Minister seeking various commitments for the farming industry with Brexit on the horizon.

Mr Mackintosh, a sheep farmer in west Cumbria, said: “To say that the reply from Boris was bland is an understatement.

“He was very nice about farmers. He said they were doing a good job, and how our commitment to zero-carbon emissions was commendable.”

He added: “But the reply we got contained no detail, no commitment, no farming proposals on how farming would be supported.

“The letter contained no support, it has just had no substance to it.”

Mr Mackintosh also expressed concerns about the fate of farmers in the event of a no-deal Brexit, fearing that tariffs on exports could lead to cheap food flooding the markets. He believed a “massive push” to buy British produce was needed if farms were to stay in business.

He said: “If we have tariffs on exports and none on imports then the inevitable outcome will see the markets decimated.

“Sheep, beef, and cereals and eggs will find it tough. All sectors will have challenges and lamb would potentially be seriously affected.”

During a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Minette Batters, president of the NFU, said: “We have to leave in an orderly manner. Make no mistake, the US has its eyes on our market and that is a huge threat.

“Trust needs restoring in the Government and its willingness to protect our industry. We need a Government prepared to work alongside us.”