Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Clash... Origins of Commoners' Food
The leader of the UK opposition sparked controversy locally after saying in a media interview that he does not consider sandwiches to be real food while describing his daily routine.
According to local media including the BBC and The Guardian on the 13th, Yonhap News reported that Conservative Party leader Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch engaged in a war of words over the 'sandwich remark.'
The controversy began with an interview Badenoch gave to the media on the 11th. In the interview marking one month since her appointment, when asked if she had time for lunch, she replied, "What is lunchtime? That’s something only weaklings have," adding that she usually brings food and eats while working.
She continued, "Sometimes I bring steak to eat," and said, "I am not someone who enjoys sandwiches. I don’t consider sandwiches real food. If the bread is soggy, I don’t even touch it."
Prime Minister Starmer’s side rebutted this statement. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office said the next day, "Prime Minister Starmer was surprised by Badenoch’s remarks," adding, "The Prime Minister likes sandwich lunches. His favorite is tuna sandwich, and he sometimes enjoys cheese toast as well."
They also stated that sandwiches are a "British tradition," citing statistics from the British Sandwich Association estimating the annual economic contribution of sandwiches at 8 billion pounds (approximately 14.5 trillion won).
In response, Badenoch also fired back. Through her X (formerly Twitter) account, she said, "The Prime Minister has time to respond to my joke about lunch but seems to have no time to focus on the farmers who produce our food," adding, "The Conservative Party will repeal the 'family farm tax,' an ideological attack that ruins farmers’ lives."
Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the UK Conservative Party (left), and Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the UK. Photo by AP Yonhap News
The offensive against Badenoch continues. Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right Reform UK party, criticized, "Badenoch says lunch is for weaklings, but I think lunch is quite a nice thing. However, on busy days, I eat sandwiches in the office. Badenoch thinks even that is wrong."
The media pointed out that the sandwich being used as a subject of political dispute reflects the pride in sandwiches as part of British cultural heritage. It is known that the sandwich originated in 1762 when the Earl of Montagu requested food with meat between slices of bread to eat while playing cards, a tradition that continues to this day.
Ultimately, the offensive against Badenoch carries an undertone that the Conservative leader is disparaging a 'common people's food' representing Britain. Previously, in 2015, Ed Miliband, then leader of the Labour Party, was criticized by the Conservative Party for being 'out of touch with ordinary Britons' after being awkwardly caught eating a bacon sandwich.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
