ANGELA EAGLE DEFENDS EU RESET DEAL OVER CRISPS LABELLING RULES

Angela Eagle, named as the DEFRA Secretary, was asked on Times Radio about reports that smoky bacon flavoured crisps could be affected by new food labelling rules linked to the UK's reset of relations with the European Union. She compared the question to long-standing claims about EU rules on curved bananas and told the interviewer: "I think you should get a life." Eagle said the issue was "actually about ensuring that we can do business with our closest neighbours," and argued that British farmers and food producers could benefit from exporting into Europe again without the "costs and frictions" of Brexit. She said the deal would "enable this economy to grow" and bring "higher levels of prosperity."

The question followed reports that crisps and other products using meat-related names could be affected by EU rules banning "meaty" terms, such as "bacon" or "sausage," on food marketed as vegetarian. The EU has also banned single-use condiment sachets. The UK government has indicated it will align its own packaging and agrifood rules with EU standards as part of its wider reset with the bloc since Brexit. Eagle likened the crisps question to past claims about EU banana rules.

Eagle's remarks come amid continuing debate over the terms of the UK's reset of relations with the EU. She argued the agreement would benefit the economy by easing export conditions for farmers and food producers, rather than centring on individual products such as crisps. The Times Radio exchange highlighted a difference between ministers' framing of the reset as a route to economic growth and public focus on specific food labelling changes. No timetable for aligning UK rules with EU standards was given.