Councillor’s beef with retail giant’s Love Sausage
A controversial councillor has taken aim at Marks & Spencer’s Love Sausage in his latest stunt
– calling for the meat to be removed from Renfrewshire outlets.
The major retailer launched the special product to coincide with Valentine’s Day, which consisted of a heart-shaped sausage wrapped in streaky bacon.
However, Paisley Southeast Independent Councillor Paul Mack claims to have taken offence at the foodstuff.
In a bizarre email to his fellow elected members – entitled ‘Frankfurtergate Revisited’– Councillor Mack sought backing from his“comrades”to have the sausage banned.
He ordered Renfrewshire Council to command M&S“to cease and desist from any further reference to its Love Sausage and withdraw all offending sweetmeats from their outlets within the precincts of Renfrewshire Council.”
The email’s title of‘Frankfurtergate Revisited’appears to be a reference to a Standards Commission case in which the maverick councillor was investigated for comments he made about political rivals.
In October 2016, Councillor Mack was grilled by the watchdog after he claimed a council-funded trip to Germany was an excuse for his colleagues“going on the lash and playing hide the Frankfurter”.
During the hearing he conducted his own defence and said“he could not find anyone in the whole of Paisley who is offended by the remark.”
After the hearing at Renfrewshire House, Councillor Mack was given a ban of three months from the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board.
In his latest email, he referenced the case and said“M&S can only be considered‘wilfully disrespectful’to the good Burghers (pronounced ‘burgers - geddit?) of Hunterhill and surrounding areas and this injunction should be made with immediate effect.”
Conservative Councillor Tom Begg jumped to the defence of M&S in a response to the email, insisting he was “a little bemused”by the order.
He added:“I can think of nothing more romantic than two Cumberland sausages wrapped in pastry (sic) in the shape of a heart for dinner in the evening of St Valentine’s Day.
“Wilma and I, when visiting family in Newcastle, often drop into one of the farm shops along the Wall to buy these sausages which are quite delicious.
“I noticed that the aptly named Love Sausage had quotes around it implying the name might be humorous, risky or rude in the minds of the proposers but maybe not among the romantics.”