Sunak ‘risks full-scale trade war’ with Brussels by scrapping EU laws

Leading European politicians have warned that the prime minister's plan to ditch EU legislation will trigger retaliatory countermeasures, including imposing tariffs on goods

Rishi Sunak's plan to scrap thousands of EU laws by the end of this year risks triggering a full-scale trade war between the UK and Brussels, senior figures in the European Union have warned.

Letters from leading EU politicians, seen by the Observer, reveal deep concern that the UK is about to lower standards in areas such as environmental protection and workers' rights - breaching level playing field" provisions that were at the heart of the post-Brexit trade and cooperation agreement (TCA).