The chief executive of the British Poultry Council has called on parliament to abandon Brexit, following Theresa May’s failure to win the meaningful vote last night by an overwhelming 432 to 202.
Richard Griffiths said the failure to get the Withdrawal Agreement through parliament was a turning point and the risks to the UK poultry industry of leaving with no deal were too big to countenance.
The BPC represents all the major UK poultry companies including 2 Sisters, Cargill and Avara, which together process virtually all poultry sold in the UK, and Griffiths said the feeling among the BPC membership was unanimous that remaining in the EU was the best course of action.
“Surely this has now gone on long enough. We’ve suffered the effects of the concept of Brexit since 2016, and the actuality of leaving will be worse. The only sensible option now is to abandon Brexit as a failed project,” he said.
“In the British poultry meat sector we’ve suffered a lack of labour and increasing production costs, and seen our country’s food standards being challenged by other nations eyeing a quick profit at our long-term expense.
“Brexit and food comes down to a very simple concept. Any departure from the EU means affordability and availability of food will be compromised. The burden of that will fall on those who can least afford it. This cannot be acceptable to anyone, either individual or Government.
“We’ve already heard – no confidence vote aside – about possible changes of direction. Let’s make that direction a step back from the precipice. We are stronger, more prosperous, and crucially, better fed, as part of the EU.”
Griffiths said he had come to the conclusion that while other organisations had stressed the need to avoid no deal, the moment had come to be bold at call for the UK to remain in the EU. “I feel it needs to be said,” he told Poultry Business. “As no deal has become more possible, it has focussed minds. Someone has got to stand up and it’s got to the point now where we need people to say remain is still an option.
“It is no less realistic than anything else,” he added.