Future food safety is not clear

I’ve heard on the news that Prue Leith, judge on the Great British Bake-Off as well as other TV roles, has left the Conservative Party. I understand the reason is her worry this Conservative Government will allow food standards in Britain to be lowered dramatically after Brexit. I share this worry, as do a lot of other local people.

Some examples of current American standards were displayed on a stall last Saturday, set up by the Bexhill and Hastings branch of Global Justice. For instance, apples sold in the US may contain 400 times the level of malathion as is allowed here. Malathion is an insecticide which can be poisonous if it accumulates in the body over time. As well as causing food poisoning, it can increase the risk of cancer.

Our standards are currently high but if Boris Johnson to signs a Trade Deal with the US, he will have to give way on our standards. Trump has said this already. The government propose to sign a deal without its even being debated in Parliament! That is plainly undemocratic!

I read in last Friday’s Observer that our MP, Sally Ann Hart, wants to maintain our excellent food standards. This is very welcome., However, she appears to mean only their production, which would allow foods produced to far lower standards to be sold here. Does it therefore follow that good quality food can be sold to a number of wealthy Americans at a premium, while poorer English people will have to accept the food produced to a lower standard from the US (for example, the infamous chlorinated chicken?)

I am very worried by the lack of transparency in particular and hope other readers will join me in urging our MP to press for this matter to at least be discussed in the House.

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