A major St Albans business is putting aside money to stockpile food in case of a no-deal Brexit.

Premier Foods, which makes brands such as Mr Kipling and Ambrosia, has announced the move due to a lack of certainty about the UK leaving the EU.

A spokesperson said: “Like all businesses, Premier Foods has been working behind the scenes for several months, planning for a range of scenarios subject to the nature of any Brexit deal that is reached.

“In the absence of certainty for the UK’s departure from the EU, we shortly intend to begin the process of building stocks of raw materials to protect the company against a risk of delays at ports.

“Potentially this action will cause an adverse movement of up to £10m in working capital during quarter four, which we would expect to reverse the following financial year as the situation normalises.”

The announcement was made in the company’s half-year results, which revealed trading profit is up 6.2 per cent.

Prime Minister Theresa May last week revealed the Government’s deal with the European Union for leaving the supranational body.

The Liberal Democrat candidate for St Albans, Daisy Cooper, said: “I recently asked the Government to publish the list of medicines to be stockpiled in the event of a no-deal Brexit so patients can plan their care, but the Government is refusing to publish it.

“It is almost incomprehensible that, despite being one of the richest country’s in the world, the Government is proposing to embark on a route that could lead to shortages in medicines and food.

“I have never known a more incompetent or reckless Government and yet some Conservative MPs insist on pursuing this path to a ‘blindfold Brexit’.

“Liberal Democrats demand better. The public should be asked to judge Theresa May’s deal in a People’s Vote so we can compare her deal with the deal we already enjoy.”

To view Daisy’s Freedom of Information request, visit www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/drugs_listed_for_no_deal_brexit_2?nocache=incoming-1239180#incoming-1239180