It's all about Scotch eggs. Not a question of whether they are in fact Scotch, nor whether they really are eggs (perhaps laid by Scotch hens). The issue, for us febrile Brits, is: do they constitute a 'substantial meal'? If they do, all you people in Covid Tier 2 will be able to get a pint in the pub - if you also order the afore-mentioned Scotch egg.
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove says that in his opinion it is a starter. He's obviously going for the Cameron Prize for foodie pretence - "I once ate a Scotch egg in Aberdeen". In any case Michael, the concept of a starter is that a main course will follow. Otherwise it's a stopper not a starter. And are you saying that, if you order a starter, you can't get a glass of wine until you order your main course? That's mad; what happened to "can I get you a drink while you're deciding, madam?"? (Two question marks definitely looks odd but I had it checked out by a grammatical pedant and he gave me five stars) (And I'm not suggesting that females are the indecisive ones, so don't troll me)
The Scotch Egg Mealers (i.e. Conservative backbenchers) are relying on a court judgement that the inclusion of pickles and beetroot in a sandwich makes it a substantial meal. In Timmis v Millman, 1965 the judges ruled that the sandwiches that Millman and his pal were eating (with a drink after pub closing time but during supper extension time) "were so substantial, and assisted by the pickles and beetroot so as to justify that it was a table meal and not a mere snack from a bar". 
I could find no record of whether there was cheese in the sandwiches. Just pickles and beetroot would be odd.
I like cheese and pickle sandwiches. Also cheese and beetroot - my favourite childhood snack.
The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick ("you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours") said that a Cornish pasty would be substantial "if accompanied by chips or a side salad". My friend, you're havin' a larf! Who eats a side salad with a pasty? Everyone knows that the only accompaniment to a pasty is...another pasty. Chips are for curries.
Lawyers for my local tapas bar are revving up for.........oh, this is bonkers. The world has gone mad.
We Brits, eh? We do the weirdest things.
And I see that landlords are lamenting all the food which they throw away, completely untouched, because although it’s been ordered and paid for, there’s no requirement to eat it.
ReplyDeleteFancy, all the combined brains and wisdom of the cabinet couldn’t have foreseen that one.