“I myself would definitely scoff a couple of scotch eggs if I had the chance”
As England is set to come out of lockdown and back into a multiple-tier system, we are faced again with that eternal question: is a scotch egg a ‘substantial meal’?
Under Tier 2 restriction, pubs and bars can only serve alcohol it if is “with a substantial meal”. So you can only get a pint if you are having meal.
But what actually denotes a ‘substantial meal’? Size of the plate? Calories? If it comes with chips?
And, most importantly, does a scotch egg count as a meal? That sounds like something Alan Partridge would ask the good people of North Norfolk on Mid-Morning Matters, but in 2020, it is a real, genuine hot-potato in British political discourse (Does a hot potato count as a meal? Let’s not get distracted here).
Environment secretary George Eustice, was asked the burning question while being interviewed on LBC, and he said it
“I think a Scotch egg probably would count as a substantial meal if there were table service,” Eustice improvised. “Often that might be as a starter, but yes, I think it would.”
How able Michael Gove then? The Cabinet Office minister was also asked the same question on LBC, and said that “a couple of scotch eggs is a starter, as far as I’m concerned.”
But then later the same day, he told ITV News that “a scotch egg is a substantial meal.”
Michael Gove tells #LBC that a Scotch egg is a starter.
An hour or so later.
Michael Gove tells @PaulBrandITV that a Scotch egg is now a substantial meal. pic.twitter.com/3ImqRlvamg
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) December 1, 2020
“I myself would definitely scoff a couple of scotch eggs if I had the chance,”
Now you have the image of Michael Gove excitedly gobbling down scotch eggs in your head for the rest of the day. Sorry.
Gove also went on Good Morning Britain where he was grilled (a mixed grill is definitely a meal) by Piers Morgan, and failed to come out with a succinct definition of what a ‘substantial meal’ is.
Piers Morgan – What is a substantial meal?
Michael Gove has no idea & resorts to waffling
Piers Morgan – Once more we have government ministers who are not able to tell us what their own rules are.#GMB pic.twitter.com/ek9w9jSgUZ
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) December 1, 2020
