IAN Blackford at Prime Minister’s Question Time on Thursday implied the Scottish Government would defy the UK Government’s power grab with its UK single internal market (‘Outrageous’ Tories try to sneak through Scots power grab, July 7). I hope this proves to be true.
The Scottish Government’s actions in the pandemic included the indication that, if high levels of infection recurred in England, to protect the health of the people of Scotland then those crossing the Scottish Border from England would require to quarantine for 14 days, just as it is required of people from elsewhere with high levels of infection.
It would be equally valid for health reasons to prevent the importation of unhealthy foods, including chlorinated chicken and growth-hormone-fed cattle etc and any products incorporating low-standard ingredients.
READ MORE: ‘Outrageous’ Tories try to sneak through Scottish power grab
With levels of food-related illness in America, whose low standards the UK looks likely to accept, being one in six compared with 1 in 28 here, the Scottish Government would be defending the Scottish population and also our health services with all the associated costs.
If low-standard food was allowed, the poorest in society would again suffer disproportionally. Preventing the availability of cheap, low-quality food while enshrining in legislation a national “right to food” would stop that happening.
It would also protect our farmers and, by ensuring their high standards continue, will ensure their produce remains attractive to foreign customers.
As the Scottish people have shown during the pandemic, when it comes to the health of their families they appreciate a strong Scottish Government taking the right decisions to protect them. The same is likely to apply when protecting them from the effects of low food standards.
Jim Stamper
Bearsden
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