Political Print

  • Political Print: where’s the right royal welcome for the industrial strategy?

    Political Print: where’s the right royal welcome for the industrial strategy?

    Prince Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle stole the headlines from a crucial announcement for Britain’s future. By Nick Hughes. It’s an enduring British media tradition (and frankly an enduring mystery to the Print) that royal events torpedo political events in…

  • Panglossian views are not restricted to the political Pollyanna

    Panglossian views are not restricted to the political Pollyanna

    The transport secretary’s view of post-Brexit food supply is reason to panic, says David Burrows. The EU has led UK food and environment policy for the past 43 years. Brexit therefore offers an opportunity to rip things up and start…

  • Political Print: Gove’s big green vision

    Political Print: Gove’s big green vision

    DEFRA secretary’s conference speech is full of bold talk on the environment but short on detail – especially when it comes to Brexit. By Nick Hughes. Last week, the Print predicted that Michael Gove wouldn’t be quite so reticent in…

  • Political Print: Food’s off the table at the Labour conference

    Political Print: Food’s off the table at the Labour conference

    Hopes of the party promoting a bold new vision were dashed with the shadow DEFRA secretary sidelined in Brighton this week. By Nick Hughes. It’s party conference season, hence it’s time for the Print to snap out of its summer…

  • Political Print: How has Gove fared in his first 100 days?

    Political Print: How has Gove fared in his first 100 days?

    The environment secretary’s cheery rhetoric hasn’t been matched by convincing policy on the big challenges facing DEFRA, writes David Burrows. It’s like “putting the fox in charge of the hen house”, said Ed Davey, the former energy secretary, as news…

  • Political Print: Chicken dispute misses the point

    Political Print: Chicken dispute misses the point

    Despite calls for politicians to ban chlorine-washed US poultry, it’s businesses that will really decide whether it ends up on our plates. By Nick Hughes. It took what the Print likes to call “the yuk factor” for food to finally…

  • 10 things we need to know about Brexit

    10 things we need to know about Brexit

    Talks with the EU are finally under way a year after the referendum and the food industry is anxiously awaiting the outcome, writes Nick Hughes. Friday marked the first anniversary of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. Much has…

  • Political Print: What’s on the election menu?

    Political Print: What’s on the election menu?

    The Tories are keeping things vague in their manifesto but their rivals have plenty to offer on farming and waste. By Nick Hughes. It’s election time (again) which means the Print gets to play its favourite game of “count the…

  • Brexit means… what?

    Brexit means… what?

    Theresa May has finally given her first big speech on leaving the EU. Are we any the wiser? Footprint asked five experts for their views. The lawyer: A little bit of clarity. “Over the last six months a few things…

  • Andrea Leadsom’s post-Brexit vision for UK food and farming is clear as mud

    Andrea Leadsom’s post-Brexit vision for UK food and farming is clear as mud

    Listening to Andrea Leadsom address the Oxford Farming Conference on Monday, it was hard not to feel a degree of sympathy for the Defra Secretary of State. It wasn’t just the unfortunate opening observation that farming had been around “as…