Shortie tale is a worry for all of us

THE rises in basic food prices, caused by Brexit are worrying.

These rises will be inevitably be passed to the consumer. We will all suffer.

Our report today, telling of one company’s struggle to produce shortbread in the face of sharp hikes in the price of butter, is the tip of the iceberg.

Dean’s is a big employer in Huntly but has frozen plans for a £3 million expansion.

Its story mirrors problems faced by manufacturers up and down the country.

As our report also warns, the prices of basic foodstuffs, traded in euros, have become incredibly volatile.

Dean’s is suffering because the wholesale price of butter has risen 75% in three months.

This is very serious and, crucially, it isn’t just a matter for commodities traders to worry about.

This affects jobs. Your job, in your country. It is about the food you eat. It is about the people in your town. It is about the money in your pocket.

When negotiations over Britain’s exit from the European Union get under way, the best interests of firms like Dean’s are a vital consideration.

Whatever deals are struck, whatever horse-trading takes place, it is ordinary people’s livelihoods that should be considered first.

Politicking is all very well, but it is people who matter most.