The government has appeared to backtrack on a key post-Brexit suggestion to ban the export of live animals for slaughter, angering politicians and animal rights campaigners.

Michael Gove launched a consultation into a ban earlier this year, promising to deliver policies that “respect and care” animals and raising the prospect of ending the export of thousands of live farm animals to mainland Europe.

But on Wednesday the environment secretary would only commit to “restrictions” on the practice.

“I am minded to restrict them yes, and I’m looking at the evidence to see how we can make appropriate, or take appropriate steps,” Mr Gove told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Asked directly whether he was still minded to ban it, he said: “I’m minded to take every step we can in order to ensure that we restrict animal exports and that we safeguard animal welfare.”

Pressed on the issue, the environment secretary insisted “all options are on the table”, without ever using the word “ban”.

Sheep forced into dire conditions aboard transit ship to Middle East

Caroline Lucas, MP and former leader of the Green Party, accused the Tories of delivering a Brexit “built on lies”.

“Brexiteers promised a ban on live animal exports,” she wrote on Twitter. “Now Michael Gove says it won’t happen.

“This Tory Brexit is built on lies.”

James West, senior policy manager at Compassion in World Farming, said he was “concerned” Mr Gove appeared to be “backtracking on his live export commitment”.

“On numerous occasions, Michael Gove has spoken about how the government are considering stopping live exports for slaughter,” he said. ”This morning, when pressed, he repeatedly used the word ‘restrict’. The campaign to stop live exports is one that has run for many years, and an issue people feel very strongly about.

“It will be a major disappointment to the majority of British citizens if the government abandon their plans.”

Labour's shadow environment minister, David Drew, said: “Michael Gove is back pedalling on his promise to ban live exports. We are demanding that Michael Gove now clarifies the government’s position on banning live exports.”

Brexit casualties Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit casualties Brexit casualties Andrea Jenkyns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary at the ministry for housing, communities and local government role May 2018 - The Morley and Outwood MP said: “We want to see a new relationship with Europe, with a new model not enjoyed by other countries – nothing that leaves us half-in, half-out. “And in order to achieve this, we need to leave the customs union.” Ms Jenkyn’s also said she wished to dedicate more of her time to Parliament’s influential Exiting the European Union select committee, after a series of “unbalanced” reports produced by MPs PA Brexit casualties David Davis - Resigned from Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union role July 2018 - quit following a major row with May over her plans for post-Brexit relations with the EU. Davis resignation letter said: “As you know there have been a significant number of occasions in the last year or so on which I have disagreed with the Number 10 policy line, ranging from accepting the [European] Commission’s sequencing of negotiations, through to the language on Northern Ireland in the December Joint Report. “At each stage I have accepted collective responsibility because it is part of my task to find workable compromises, and because I considered it was still possible to deliver on the mandate of the referendum, and on our manifesto commitment to leave the Customs Union and the Single Market. “I am afraid that I think the current trend of policy and tactics is making that look less and less likely.” He went on to argue that the “general direction” of Ms May’s policies would leave the UK “in at best a weak negotiating position, and possibly an inescapable one”. AFP/Getty Brexit casualties Steve Baker - Resigned from Minister at the Department for Exiting the European Union role July 2018 - Mr Baker, a key Tory figure in the Leave campaign, was David Davis’s main lieutenant at Dexeu, and was hailed as ”courageous and principled” by other Brexiteer Tories as he also left. Reuters Brexit casualties Boris Johnson - Resigned from Foreign Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. In his resignation letter to the prime minister, Mr Johnson said: "On Friday, I acknowledged that my side of the argument were too few to prevail and congratulated you on at least reaching a Cabinet decision on the way forward. "As I said then, the government now has a song to sing. "The trouble is that I have practised the words over the weekend and find that they stick in the throat." Reuters Brexit casualties Conor Burns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary role July 2018 - A Brexit supporter who worked alongside Boris Johnson stated in his resignation letter: “I've decided it's time to have greater freedom. I want to see the referendum result respected. And there are other areas of policy I want to speak more openly on.” Rex Brexit casualties Chris Green - Resigned from Department for Transport role July 2018 - The Bolton West MP said: "Parliament overwhelmingly decided to give the decision of whether to leave or remain in the European Union to the British people and they made an unambiguous decision that we ought to leave. "I have always understood the idea in 'Brexit means Brexit' is that the final deal should be clear to me and my constituents - that we have, in no uncertain terms, left the European Union. Twitter Ads info and privacy "The direction the negotiations had been taking have suggested that we would not really leave the EU and the conclusion and statements following the Chequers summit confirmed my fears. "I recognise that delivering Brexit is challenging, however I had hoped at tonight's meeting that there would be some certainty that my fears were unfounded but, instead, they have been confirmed. "I have been grateful for the opportunity to serve as Parliamentary Private Secretary and it is with regret that I offer my resignation with immediate effect." PA Brexit casualties Maria Caulfield - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for women role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. Lewes MP warned that the direction of travel did “not fully embrace the opportunities that Brexit can provide”. Ms Caulfield said in her letter to the PM: “The policy may assuage vested interests, but the voters will find out and their representatives will be found out. This policy will be bad for our country and bad for the party. “The direct consequences of that will be prime minister Corbyn.” PA Brexit casualties Ben Bradley - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for young people role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. The Mansfield MP said: “I admit that I voted to Remain in that ballot. What has swayed me over the last two years to fully back the Brexit vision is the immense opportunities that are available from global trade, and for the ability for Britain to be an outward looking nation in control of our own destiny once again. “I fear that this agreement at Chequers damages those opportunities; that being tied to EU regulations, and the EU tying our hands when seeking to make new trade agreements, will be the worst of all worlds if we do not deliver Brexit in spirit as well as in name, then we are handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to No10.” PA Brexit casualties Robert Courts - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. MP Mr Courts said: “I have taken a very difficult decision to resign my position as [parliamentary private secretary] to express discontent with the Chequers [plans] in votes tomorrow. “I had to think who I wanted to see in the mirror for the rest of my life. I cannot tell the people of Woxon that I support the proposals in their current form.” Getty Brexit casualties Scott Mann - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. "I fear elements of the Brexit white paper will inevitably put me in direct conflict with the views expressed by a large section of my constituents. I am not prepared to compromise their wishes to deliver a watered-down Brexit. "The residents of North Cornwall made it very clear that they wish to have control over our fishery, our agricultural policy, our money, our laws and our borders. I will evaluate those principles against the Brexit white paper and ensure that I vote in line with their wishes." Rex

A Conservative Party spokesperson told The Independent it had "consistently" said it will control live animal experts after Brexit.

“Earlier this year we called for evidence on restricting and potentially banning live exports. As the environment secretary said, all options are on the table and a ban remains a possibility," the spokesperson added.

“Labour’s hypocrisy is breathtaking. Unlike the Conservatives, their manifesto had nothing to say on this vital issue and now they are desperately playing catch-up.”

Official figures show that each year at least 4,000 sheep are transported from the UK to Europe for slaughter, with an estimated 6,000 calves exported from Northern Ireland, despite government documents admitting “all forms of transport may have negative effects on the animal’s welfare”.

Current European single market rules currently prevent the UK from banning the live export of animals, which accounts for only a small proportion of Britain’s £2.4bn trade in meat and livestock with the EU.

Campaigners celebrated when in April, Mr Gove held a public consultation on the proposed live export ban. They had battled for years to highlight the cramped, unnatural conditions on export trucks during long journeys with insufficient water in often sweltering temperatures.

Mr Gove’s about-turn came after environment and food officials asked advisers on the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC) to review the conditions animals are subjected to during long-distance live transport and to make recommendations on improving them.

Campaigners said this raised suspicions the government may be backing away from a ban on the “cruel and completely unnecessary” practice.