President Joe Biden has pardoned two Thanksgiving turkeys, saying that the birds were selected based on their “temperament, appearance and, I suspect, vaccination status”.

The UK could face a “national shortage” of turkeys in the lead-up to Christmas brought on by a lack of labour following Brexit, a turkey farmer has said.

Nostalgia was in and jokes were out on Tuesday as US President Donald Trump offered a reprieve to two meaty turkeys at the traditional Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony at the White House.