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* BORIS JOHNSON SAID MELTON MOWBRAY PORK PIES ARE 'SOLD IN THAILAND AND ICELAND' * MADE COMMENT AS HE URGED US TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR UK TO EXPORT ACROSS ATLANTIC * BUT MEAT PIE
EXPERTS THIS MORNING POURED COLD WATER ON MR JOHNSON'S CLAIMS * UK OFFICIALS THEN INSISTED THEY KNEW OF AT LEAST ONE COMPANY WHO EXPORTED THERE * BUT COMPANY NAMED BY OFFICIALS SAID IT
WAS 'ENTIRELY FOCUSED ON THE UK MARKET' By JACK MAIDMENT, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE Published: 05:33 EDT, 26 August 2019 | Updated: 10:04 EDT, 26 August 2019 brexit
countdown_bgCreated with Sketch. Downing Street has defended Boris Johnson after he became embroiled in a bizarre row about pork pies. The Prime Minister claimed the UK-made meat products
were sold in Thailand and Iceland but experts said this morning that simply was not the case. UK officials then leapt to Mr Johnson's defence and insisted they knew of at least one
company which had exported the product to those two countries. But that company, Walker and Son, then reportedly said it was 'entirely focused on the UK market'. The PM had used
Melton Mowbray pork pies as an example of how the US needed to slash red tape if there is to be a wide-reaching trans-Atlantic post-Brexit trade deal. He said that the products were
currently 'unable to enter the US market' because of food restrictions but that they were 'sold in Thailand and in Iceland'. However, Matthew O'Callaghan, the
chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, said this morning: 'We don't actually export to Thailand or to Iceland.' Mr O'Callaghan also said that while he
would welcome any attempts to make it easier to export pork pies to the US, Mr Johnson should focus on protecting UK food producers in the event of a No Deal Brexit. He said a chaotic split
would likely mean the end of protections in the EU for famous UK-made produce. Mr O'Callaghan's comments and the subsequent fallout represents an embarrassing moment for the PM
after he raised the plight of pork pies during his talks with Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Biarritz yesterday. Mr Johnson cited pork pies as evidence of why the US would need to slash
regulations as part of a post-Brexit trade deal as he spoke to reporters on the way to France on Saturday. He said: 'Melton Mowbray pork pies, which are sold in Thailand and in
Iceland, are currently unable to enter the US market because of, I don't know, some sort of food and drug administration restriction.' He then said during his meeting with the US
President: 'Obviously, I have memories of American trade negotiations in the past, and I have a formidable respect for US trade negotiations. 'And I know that there will be some
tough talks ahead, because, at the moment, you know, we still don't -- I don't think we sell a single joint of British lamb to the United States. 'We don't sell any
beef. We don't sell any pork pies. And there are clearly huge opportunities for the UK to penetrate the American market in the way that we currently don't. And we're very
interested to talk about that with you.' Mr O'Callaghan welcomed Mr Johnson's decision to talk about pork pies, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning:
'You have got the G7, you have got the Iran crisis, the Amazon burning. 'You have got China and Russia and all the rest of it and up pops Boris with Melton Mowbray pork pies.
'Good for him. You know: Great product and why not.' But asked if Mr Johnson was right in what he had said, Mr O'Callaghan said: 'Not really. With all of these things
there is a little bit of give an take. 'We don't actually export to Thailand or to Iceland.' Asked directly if what Mr Johnson had said about current exports was true, Mr
O'Callaghan replied: 'Not that I know of I am afraid.' Told that perhaps Mr Johnson had meant Iceland the supermarket, Mr O'Callaghan laughed and said: 'Could well
be. Certainly available there.' But UK officials defended the PM's comments and pointed to the example of Walker and Son, a founding member of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie
Association, which they said had exported to those countries. Asked if the company sells pies in both Thailand and Iceland, a senior British official said: 'It certainly has done
so.' Challenged about Mr O'Callaghan's comments, an official said: 'Look at his quote very carefully. It says "not that I'm aware of". 'He states that
it's his knowledge that he is not aware of this fact. He is the chair of an association. I will give you a company that is actually saying that they export them to Thailand and
Iceland.' But Walker and Son then reportedly told the BBC that while it had previously exported some pies to Singapore it was now 'entirely focused on the UK market'. A
spokesman for the company was unsure whether it had ever exported to Thailand or Iceland.