JEREMY Corbyn has pledged to keep the European market open to farmers in the event of a no-deal Brexit - amid fears of the damage crashing out without a deal will have on the sector.

The leader of the opposition met with the Cockbain family - who run the Rakefoot Farm in Keswick - and were joined by the MP for Workington and shadow Defra secretary Sue Hayman and the environment advisor for the North West for the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Adam Briggs.

The Labour leader visited the farm yesterday to learn more about the impact of a no-deal Brexit on farming.

A report by farm business consultants Andersons, predicts an 18 per cent decline in profitability for farmers in a no-deal scenario, which equates to £850m.

Jeremy Corbyn pledged to support farmers in the event of no-deal. He promised to: “Make sure the European market is still open for them and also support for rural communities and the diversity of employment for rural communities. Rural communities have to be living in vibrant places."

He also warned of the "pretty disastrous" impact on British agriculture of a no-deal Brexit.

The Labour leader said leaving the European Union without a deal would mean farmers being hit with huge tariffs, leading to a sheep cull and state support for those farmers left high and dry.

Mr Corbyn visited Rakefoot Farm, run by farmer Will Cockbain, whose family have farmed the area for 300 years.

Mr Corbyn, who spent a couple of hours at the farm near Castlerigg, said: "I think it's pretty clear that a no-deal which would result in a loss of a huge export market for which the Cumbrian farmers and indeed other hill farmers rely on, would be pretty disastrous.

"I've come here to listen and to learn.

"I detect extreme concern and stress and worry because these are people that have farmed for generations in the area.

"All their exports have got to go somewhere, the vast majority of them go to the European Union, a very large number go to France.

"If there's suddenly a tariff put on them, then they are not going to go - it's as simple as that.

"So we then end up with a cull of the sheep population or we would end up with some complicated support scheme to keep farms in operation when they have nowhere to sell their products.

"The important thing is for the Government to understand this constant threat of no-deal Brexit will mean unbelievable levels of damage, not just for farms, but also to rural communities as a whole."