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AIBU?

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Original poster

to think "everyone will have the food they need" is a way of saying that food choice will be limited

298 replies

chomalungma · 01/09/2019 13:53

It's what Gove said this morning when asked about food after Brexit.

"Everyone will have the food they need"

I am sure that's true....and who needs a wide choice of food anyway.

OP posts:
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Outsomnia · 01/09/2019 15:58

WW2 is over.

There will be no rationing.

That's because there won't be a mad No Deal Exit either. Won't happen, there is no planning for it, it is just a game of chicken with the EU. Sorry about the meat reference there!

S1naidSucks · 01/09/2019 15:58

Won't do us any harm to go back to seasonality.

Fabulous. Now could you let me know what is grown during the autumn/winter months?

berlinbabylon · 01/09/2019 15:58

I can't believe someone compared Britain to North Korea. Have a word with yourself, whoever you are, and think of the millions of people who have died of starvation in N Korea

And how do you know that won't happen here? People in N Korea have died due to the actions of their government. That could absolutely happen if the UK government "successfully" pursues a no deal Brexit.

MaxNormal · 01/09/2019 15:59

Won't do us any harm to go back to seasonality.

We won't be. We'll be going onto horrible American imports at a much lower standard than the food we're accustomed to.

berlinbabylon · 01/09/2019 16:00

it is just a game of chicken with the EU

I am partly inclined (on my more optimistic days) to agree. The whole Greek Euro crisis went to the wire several times. But on the other hand, why should the EU take a blind bit of notice of Boris the ERG-fearing, GFA-busting, buffoon?

Timewaitsfornobody · 01/09/2019 16:00

And I am also very concerned about epipen availability as we already had a shortage this year and people being advised to use out of date ones until supply issues were resolved so brexit is likely to be even worse for this.

Blakes77 · 01/09/2019 16:02

Asked my grandad about food in the war (he was a child during it).
He said his overwhelming memory was being very cold in winter and always very hungry. There really wasn't enough food.

RE British agricultural tho- we grow a lot of variety actually, just not enough of anything; Cabbage, kale, spinach, onions, pak choy, beetroot,beans of all kinds, garlic, peas, courgettes, potatoes. UK asparagus is the best in the world but the season is only about 5 weeks! Also berries galore, apples, pears, plums.
I really don't know why we don't eat mutton more as we have so many sheep. Perhaps that will change. Ditto rabbit.
I think it will be a shock to many people just how bare all lot of supermarket fresh produce shelves will be for a while.
I have also noticed certain produce that my local supermarket used to buy from Spain are now coming from Morocco, so they are obviously sourcing from outside the EU already.

ScreamingValenta · 01/09/2019 16:02

Now could you let me know what is grown during the autumn/winter months?

Google 'winter vegetables UK' for an extensive list.

WaxOnFeckOff · 01/09/2019 16:03

I give up to be honest. It's not patronising to suggest that complaining that you can't buy goods that we don't grow or make here for a while is going to be a disaster or that some people would rather moan that they can't buy their jar of pimento peppers in olive oil than make something with ingredients that will be readily available.

And as for the gradual stockpiling, it wont stop people going into supermarkets though will it? People will still go and keep their stocks topped up, just in case and also use the fact that they can afford to, to buy the fresh ingredients that is there that is more expensive. It's people on low incomes that will struggle as they can't stockpile (gradually or otherwise) and then will be priced out of what is in the shops. people are just looking for excuses for selfish behaviour.

EdnaAdaSmith · 01/09/2019 16:04

S1naidSucks sugar beet! Wink

MaxNormal · 01/09/2019 16:07

It's not patronising to suggest that complaining that you can't buy goods that we don't grow or make here for a while is going to be a disaster or that some people would rather moan that they can't buy their jar of pimento peppers in olive oil than make something with ingredients that will be readily available.

Firstly fuck knows what will actually be "readily available". The UK is not self-sufficient.
Secondly, when that big red bus was doing the rounds, nowhere did it mention that three years down the line we'd be discussing food shortages as it it were quite normal. It's really not. Trying to spin this as a good thing is farcical.

ghostofharrenhal · 01/09/2019 16:15

But MaxNormal all we have to do is learn to cook using packets! Sosmix and smash, anyone?

WaxOnFeckOff · 01/09/2019 16:16

Who is trying to spin it as a good thing?

This whole thing has been mishandled from day one but there is not a lot that can be done to turn the clock back. Our problem isn't really about being in or out of the EU, it's having fuckwits that can't negotiate their way out of a paper bag that is the problem. We've shown ourselves to be weak and dithery and they've taken full advantage of that and I honestly can't blame them.

EdnaAdaSmith · 01/09/2019 16:17

www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-statistics-pocketbook-2017/food-statistics-in-your-pocket-2017-global-and-uk-supply#uk-food-production-to-supply-ratio-1988-to-2017

This is interesting and confirms what I thought:

The biggest deficit by far is fruit and vegetables.

The UK produces a big surplus of beverages...

timshelthechoice · 01/09/2019 16:18

Oh, yeah, definitely hedge your bets by believing a cunt like Michael Gove.

I cook very well, thank you. I still don't fancy having my choice curtailed because a bunch of Tory shysters want to continue their tax avoidance without EU interference.

This!

John1971 · 01/09/2019 16:19

What Mr. Gove means is that he will be OK for food as he is a millionaire like the rest of his colleagues.

Silene · 01/09/2019 16:20

A lot of the fruit and veg grown in the UK is picked by EUworkers, who are no longer welcome. Who is going to pick the crops? I remember rationing, and standing in queues with my mother, endless waits while coupons were being cut out of ration books. I also remember being very sick often, as in throwing up, and photos of my mother show her as being extremely thin. Many mums of my generation of mothers died in their fifties. Obviously that is not going to happen, but food shortages were very real. The delays at ports and the increase in costs will be the real problem.

WaxOnFeckOff · 01/09/2019 16:20

But MaxNormal all we have to do is learn to cook using packets! Sosmix and smash, anyone?

Add in a tin of carrots and peas and make a shepherds pie with it, what is actually wrong with that? It will be balanced nutritious and tasty enough. Given we grow potatoes and turnip and carrots etc which are all available in the winter, mash or mashed veggie type stuff will be fine though - probably wont need to break out the smash.

SusieOwl4 · 01/09/2019 16:20

I read where someone said "we survived on rations we will be ok " However I don't think people realise

1 - there has been a large increase in the population since then
2- we have built on a lot of farming land
3- a lot of farms have changed what they produce because of the huge amount of imported food - they cant just switch over to suit a crisis .
4- we may still receive the imported food - but it could be more expensive .

5- I believe we could survive on less food - that's obvious - if necessary but in between times could business that have a possible interruption of services and supply survive?

I agree that the possible interruption or increase in costs of medical supplies is more worrying .

Havanananana · 01/09/2019 16:21

WW2 is over. There will be no rationing

Just so everyone under 60 knows, rationing continued for another 9 years after the end of WW2, until 1954. The parents of people over 65 endured 15 years of rationing.

people would rather moan that they can't buy their jar of pimento peppers in olive oil than make something with ingredients that will be readily available

The UK has not been self-sufficient in food for the last 200 years. About 50% of all food is imported, mostly from the EU, or through the EU ports such as Rotterdam. In the event of a No Deal Brexit there might not be any goods that are 'readily available' - people will be going to the shops with no idea of what will actually be available on any given day.

S1naidSucks · 01/09/2019 16:21

it is just a game of chicken with the EU

Unfortunately the EU are judging Britain as a bloody headless chicken.

kateandme · 01/09/2019 16:22

and just go local.again do fuck off.as a country e cannot feed everyone on just what we make locally.how may times to the agricultural proffessionals keep having to tell people this.yes we have gone mad on outsorucing but it came from furtly needing it because we couldnt in source what we needed for the growing population

WaxOnFeckOff · 01/09/2019 16:24

yep and all the other countries are going to dump their produce in the sea rather than sell it to us? It might cost more though.

Outsomnia · 01/09/2019 16:25

Havananana

That is not the point. There will NEVER be a No Deal Exit. It will be fine.

It really is a game by Cummings.

Original poster
chomalungma · 01/09/2019 16:27

and all the other countries are going to dump their produce in the sea rather than sell it to us

They will probably go to countries that they have trade deals with first..makes the bureaucracy easier.

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