Rishi Sunak set to fall short on pledge for ‘bonfire’ of 4,000 EU-era laws

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said the Government will only be able to remove 800 of the retained laws before the end of 2023

Rishi Sunak (Daniel Leal/PA) (PA Wire)

Rishi Sunak looks set to fail to complete a promised “bonfire” of 4,000 EU-era laws this year after Tory Brexiteers were told only one in five is likely to be taken off the statute book.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch told a meeting of the European Research Group that the Government would only be able to remove 800 of the retained laws before the end of 2023.

Sources close to Ms Badenoch declined to deny the remarks as reported by the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times.