Jamie Oliver threatens to stage 'Eton Mess' protest over U-turn on childhood obesity strategy

ITV News Correspondent Rebecca Barry reports on Jamie Oliver's protest against the government for their U-turn on part of their obesity strategy

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has threatened to stage an “Eton Mess” protest if the government doesn’t backtrack on its U-turns on key parts of the childhood obesity strategy.

Boris Johnson has “36 hours” to correct the “mistake”, Mr Oliver warned, otherwise a demonstration would take place outside Downing Street on Friday afternoon in which protesters would hold bowls of Eton mess.

The government’s decision to delay a ban on two-for-one deals on unhealthy foods has come under fire from health campaigners including Mr Oliver, who has called it a “wasted opportunity” that erodes the country’s efforts to tackle obesity.

The celebrity chef also said a ban on TV junk food adverts before a 9pm watershed, which has also been put on hold for a year, was key to protecting child health.

In a video addressing the prime minister uploaded to Instagram, Mr Oliver expressed his dismay over the government’s “U-turn”, and added: “It’s upset me and all the people who have campaigned for child health in these incredibly tough times where our kids have been most affected since Covid-19.”

If there is no progress within 36 hours, Mr Oliver said he will call on the public to attend a 15-minute demonstration – in which participants would bring pots of the creamy dessert - outside Downing Street at 12.30pm on Friday.

He said: “We’re going to bring Eton mess - that great dessert invented in the very privileged place that is Eton school, where our prime minister went.”

He added that the 15-minute demonstration would be fun, and involve no mess or shouting, “just positivity to show support that he needs, and his government needs, to take the childhood obesity strategy seriously".

ITV News Reporter Charlie Frost explains the plans that have been put on hold

Ministers have said they are deferring the ban on buy-one-get-one-free deals on foods high in fat, sugar and salt in England for 12 months so they can review the impact on family budgets in the face of the cost-of-living crisis.

The move has been welcomed by the industry and by some Tory MPs opposed to the state interfering in how people spend their money.

But former Conservative leader William Hague has branded the weakening of anti-obesity strategy under pressure from MPs “morally reprehensible”.

Writing in The Times on Tuesday, Lord Hague said: “While some measures, such as rules on the positioning of unhealthy foods by retailers, will still go ahead in October, this U-turn adds to the long history of failed obesity strategies.”

The delay has also been criticised by former health minister Lord Bethell, who said failure to tackle the “obesity crisis” would simply add to the costs of the NHS.

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The delay comes as one of the UK's biggest food wholesalers has warned that schools may have to reduce portion sizes for children’s meals due to ratcheting costs. Andrew Selley, chief executive of Bidfood, said schools might also use cheaper ingredients in a bid to counter rapidly rising food prices. “The situation is going to lead to some difficult decisions for school caterers,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “Either they are going to serve smaller portions or use cheaper ingredients, which is not going to be good for children.” He added that baked goods are currently up to 30% more expensive due to rising wheat prices, which are also due to feed into pasta, eggs and chicken. The price of sunflower oil has also “doubled against a year ago”, after being pushed higher by the invasion of Ukraine, one of the world’s biggest food oil exporters.

It follows Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, warning that households could witness an “apocalyptic” shock from rampant food inflation.

Analysts have predicted that overall inflation could rise sharply to 9.1% for April, when the latest official data is given by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Wednesday. The ONS reported 5.9% food inflation in March and this is expected to have accelerated last month.