MARMALADE MADNESS: The Easter breakfast row that’s got politicians in a sticky situation

It is the preserve that launched a thousand panicked headlines — but the Government says Britain’s beloved marmalade is going nowhere, despite a week of political boiling over the nation’s breakfast tables.

Reports emerged this week that Keir Starmer’s planned food deal with the EU could force manufacturers to relabel their marmalade as “citrus marmalade” — sparking outrage from Tory and Reform politicians and prompting one newspaper to ask what Paddington Bear would think.

The row centres on the Government’s proposed sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with Brussels, under which the UK would align with updated EU food rules. Among those rules is a 2024 EU directive that widened the definition of marmalade — allowing spreads made from fruits other than citrus to use the name, as long as they specify the fruit involved.

The change came about because in several EU countries, the words “marmalade” and “jam” are used interchangeably. Before the update, only citrus-based spreads could legally be called marmalade under EU law — a rule that itself originated from British lobbying in the 1970s, which gave orange marmalade a special protected status in Brussels.

Critics including shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel accused the Government of letting EU bureaucracy creep back into British kitchens. Writing on X, she said Labour was “attacking the great British marmalade” and accused the Prime Minister of being “desperate to fit in with his EU pals.”

But the Government hit back with some relish — pointing out that marmalade on British supermarket shelves is already typically labelled as “orange marmalade” or “Seville orange marmalade,” which already complies with the new EU wording. The directive itself states that “citrus” can simply be replaced with the name of the fruit.

A Government source said: “This isn’t such a sticky situation after all. The only ‘marmalade madness’ is the Tories and Reform boiling over with rage about jar labels that won’t need to change. Despite false claims that the name orange marmalade is toast, it will be preserved — so there’s no need to spread alarm.”

For Wales, the story is not entirely without substance. Welsh food producers who export to EU markets have long navigated labelling requirements, and any SPS agreement would affect producers across the UK including those in Welsh food and farming sectors.

The World Marmalade Awards, held annually at Dalemain Mansion in Cumbria since 2005, said it planned to keep its competition restricted to citrus-based spreads regardless of any rule changes. The awards’ director said the competition aimed to uphold what she described as “rock solid British standard marmalade, the type which has been eaten for centuries from Elizabeth I to James Bond.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that UK firms will need to adapt labelling to comply with the updated EU directive under the proposed SPS deal — but insisted most manufacturers had already made, or were preparing to make, the changes for export purposes anyway.

The Government said the deal would make it easier for British-produced marmalade — alongside other classic products such as Cumberland sausages and Scottish smoked salmon — to be sold across EU markets.

Whether Paddington would approve remains unclear. The fictional Peruvian bear, whose passion for marmalade sandwiches has made him a cultural institution, has not commented.

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Novara Media | Palantir Has Been Awarded yet Another UK Government Contract by Sophia Sheera

The controversial US spytech firm Palantir has been awarded a contract to analyse highly sensitive government data, despite loud opposition from campaigners decrying the firm’s role in abetting the Gaza genocide and the immigration crackdown in the US.

Palantir will be paid £30,000 per month to analyse highly sensitive data from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), raising questions about what the firm would do with that data – and why Palantir is ever more embedded in the British state. 

The Miami-based firm already boasts contracts with the UK government worth over £500m, with its technology implanted in the NHS, the police and the military.

Read more: https://novaramedia.com/2026/03/24/palantir-has-been-awarded-yet-another-uk-government-contract/

#palantir #ukgovernment #financialconductauthority #peterthiel

bing news | MPs urge UK government to halt contract giving Palantir FCA data access by undefined

MPs have urged the UK government to halt a new contract that gives US data‑analytics firm Palantir access to the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) internal intelligence. The FCA intends to use Palantir’s AI to analyse two years of sensitive regulatory data in a 12‑week trial aimed at combating financial crime. Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper and Green Party MP Siân Berry warned that awarding such a contract to a firm closely tied to billionaire Peter Thiel and former President Donald Trump could be a “huge error of judgment” and pose a national‑security risk.

Critics stress that Palantir would act only as a “data processor”, with the FCA retaining exclusive control over encryption keys and UK‑based storage, and that all data must be destroyed after the trial. However, insiders say details on how the “obvious risks” will be mitigated are sparse, and there are fears that the company could inadvertently gain access to investigations involving high‑profile figures such as former banker Jes Staley and hedge‑fund boss Crispin Odey. The contract also raises concerns about creating a “single behemoth” that could lock the public sector into a US‑owned platform, limiting domestic competition.

Palantir’s European chief Louis Mosley has sought meetings with MPs to dispel “misconceptions”, insisting the firm cannot use customer data for its own purposes and that the software will only process data under the FCA’s strict instructions. The FCA maintains that the trial will not include trading records, that data cannot be commercialised, and that the controls in place will prevent any “lock‑in”. Nonetheless, watchdogs and opposition parties continue to call for an immediate investigation and for the contract to be stopped before it proceeds.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/23/mps-urge-uk-government-halt-palantir-contract-fca

#mps #ukgovernment #palantir #fca #financialconductauthority

PORT TALBOT: Steel plan sparks cautious hope — but big questions remain for Welsh jobs

At the heart of the strategy is a push to rebuild domestic steelmaking, including new tariffs on imports, a target for half of UK steel demand to be met at home, and billions in funding to support the industry’s transition.

For communities built around steel, the announcement lands at a critical moment.

In Port Talbot, the shift away from traditional blast furnaces is already under way, while in Llanelli, the Trostre works continues to play a key role in Welsh production. Together, they form part of an industry now facing one of the biggest changes in its history.

Local Labour MP Dame Nia Griffith has backed the plan, arguing it signals a more serious commitment to the sector after years of uncertainty.

Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli, said:
“The steel industry is a vital core element of our economy here in Wales, generating growth and providing thousands of jobs, including hundreds in my own constituency.

“This is a clear, well thought-out, long-term strategy for our steel industry that will help deliver the high-quality steel our country needs for our key infrastructure, our national security and for the wider economy.”

Her support reflects the Government’s central message — that the strategy will not only protect jobs, but put the industry on a more stable footing for the future.

But that optimism is far from universal.

Opposition figures say the plan raises as many questions as it answers, particularly around how much of the promised investment will reach Wales and what role UK steel will play in major future projects.

David Chadwick MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Wales, said:
“It is welcome that the Government has finally acted, but this looks like a panicked move after months of delay.

“Since the blast furnaces were switched off, Welsh steel has been left on life support.”

There are also concerns about the UK’s trading position, with warnings that being outside key European arrangements could leave exporters at a disadvantage in one of their biggest markets.

Industry voices have struck a similarly measured tone — welcoming steps to tackle cheap imports while warning that deeper issues remain unresolved.

Unite, which represents many steelworkers across Wales, says the new tariff regime is a positive step, but argues the industry needs a clearer long-term direction.

Sharon Graham, General Secretary of Unite, said:
“Unite welcomes the strengthening of the UK’s tariff regime to prevent the dumping of cheap foreign steel onto the domestic market.

“But this last minute situation is just another reminder that the reactive approach to UK steel that sees it lurch from crisis to crisis needs to be overhauled.”

One of the biggest sticking points is the industry’s shift towards electric arc furnaces — a cleaner form of steelmaking that relies heavily on recycled materials.

While central to the Government’s net zero ambitions, unions have warned that relying too heavily on this approach could limit the UK’s ability to produce certain types of steel.

Peter Hughes, Unite regional secretary, said:
“The government must also back the production of virgin green steel as we can’t simply rely on electric arc furnaces to produce all the steel we need.”

Alongside the strategy, ministers have also unveiled a new funding stream aimed at helping areas like Port Talbot adapt to the changes.

The Economic Growth & Investment Fund will offer grants of up to £1.5 million to businesses across Neath Port Talbot, Swansea and Bridgend, targeting sectors such as advanced manufacturing, green energy and digital industries.

Local leaders say it could help soften the economic impact of the transition — if it delivers.

Cllr Steve Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, said:
“This fund provides an important opportunity to support businesses that are ready to invest, grow and create new jobs across the region.”

For now, the strategy marks a significant moment for Welsh steel — but not a settled one.

With major changes already under way and more still to come, the focus is quickly shifting from what has been promised to what will actually be delivered.

And for communities across South West Wales, that will ultimately be the measure that matters most.

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