No 10 denies porky pies over Melton Mowbray exports

DOWNING STREET has dismissed claims that Boris Johnson was wrong when he claimed Melton Mowbray pies could be exported to Thailand and Iceland.

The Prime Minister was also backed by Britain’s biggest distributor of the pies.

Walker and Son, however, stopped exporting the pies to concentrate on the UK market, even though it has developed freezing technology so they can be kept fresh for at least a year.

The war of words over the Leicester delicacy blew up after Matthew O’callaghan, the chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, claimed that Mr Johnson was wrong to say that the UK exports the pies to Thailand and Iceland when it is unable to do so to the US.

Mr Johnson had cited Melton Mowbray pork pies to Donald Trump as an example of products that UK firms were unable to sell to the US due to “very considerable” red tape and tariffs.

He wants the US president to remove barriers as part of a post-brexit trade deal.

Asked by the BBC if Mr Johnson was right, Mr O’callaghan replied: “Not really. We don’t actually export to Thailand or Iceland.”

When pressed again, he said: “Not that I know of, I’m afraid. It is certainly available in Iceland the shop.

“You’ve got the G7, the Iran crisis, the Amazon burning, China and Russia, and all the rest of it, and up pops Boris with Melton Mowbray pork pie. Good for him. I mean, great product, and why not?”

A senior Government official said the information that Walker and Son had sold pies in Iceland and Thailand had come from the British American business group.

“It certainly has exported to them,” he said.

A spokesman for Walker and Son confirmed they had exported a tiny number of pies to countries, including Iceland and the Far East, but said the company had taken a “strategic” decision a couple

‘Up pops Boris with Melton Mowbray pork pie. Good. It’s a great product’

of years ago to switch to focus on the UK market.

Melton Mowbray pork pies are distinctive as they are made from uncured pork, to ensure the inside is grey in colour.

The pie has special protected geographical status under EU rules, meaning that only producers making pork pies using the traditional recipe and in the vicinity of Melton Mowbray can use the town’s name.

Mr O’callaghan said there was a possibility that pies could be exported frozen to the US or Australia and cooked in the country.

Sir Alan Duncan, the MP for Rutland and Melton, tweeted his support for the opportunity to export the famous food to the US.