EU chief 'surprised' at fish status in Brexit talks

The EU's foreign policy chief has suggested negotiations over post-Brexit fisheries rights should not hold up talks on a new EU-UK defence pact.

There are reports that EU countries want to link future access to British waters to ongoing talks on a wider "reset" in areas including defence spending.

Speaking to the BBC, Kaja Kallas said she was hopeful a wider deal could be struck at an EU-UK summit scheduled next month.

But she added she was "surprised at how important the fish are, considering the security situation" amid the war in Ukraine.

Sir Keir Starmer's government is aiming to strike a defence pact with the EU alongside a wider renegotiation of the UK's trading relationship.