Ms Boycott, a former editor of the Independent on Sunday, has her own small organic farm and writes about the importance of food in improving health and in reducing the carbon emissions which cause climate change. She has also written a book about her experiences on her farm.
And that quaifies her for what, exactly? Rosie proceeds to tell us...
If everybody grows more of their own food we have a greener city and help climate change.Funny, I thought it was climate change we should be preventing, not helping.
40 comments:
Just because You do not grow your own food does not give you the right to mock the rest of society that does.
Boris is proving a disappointment. Isn't it obvious that all London needs is a Mayor that restricts themselves to accomplishing the bare minimum at the least possible cost with the minimum of fuss? It's a limited role - it would be appreciated if it could have limited costs.
FFS Boris, I hope this isn't true. You're meant to be a conservative - we're fed up of 1. Being told what to do, and 2. Made up jobs paid for by the tax payer. On the face of it, this is ridiculous, surely you've been misrepresented.
Anonymous 10.06.
1. You have no idea whether I grow my own food or not.
2. I certainly wasn't mocking those that grow their own food. I was mocking the need for such a Food Board and mocking the fact that someone like Rosie Boycott had been appointed to chair it.
Boris's mayoralty so far makes me feel like Lord Lundy's grandfather, who
'... bitterly addressed him thus --
"Sir! You have disappointed us!
We had intended you to be
The next Prime Minister but three:
The stocks were sold; the Press was squared:
The Middle Class was quite prepared.
But as it is! . . . My language fails!
Go out and govern New South Wales!"
Maybe we can stick them in a TV kitchen with a celebrity chef so that they learn some manners too...
Another sensible decision from BoJo. I do hope rosie addresses the problem of allotments - their scarcity and security.
Iain - every man needs a shed. you must still be in the honeymoon phase.
Patronising toffs like Tom Barker Bowles, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Zac Goldsmith and now wilted flower child and former dispso Rosie Boycott – LEAVE US ALONE.
Mr Johnson said: "I am hugely excited that Rosie Boycott has agreed to chair the London Food Board and champion the provision of high-quality, nutritious food in the capital.
"Rosie is as passionate as I am about the importance of locally-produced, affordable food to our health and wellbeing as well as the role food can play in protecting our environment.
"Rosie is bursting with great ideas on how we can boost the level of top-notch food grown locally and support London's local, independent food industries and smaller shops."
First Gove and now this?
Still, the way the economy is going we'll all be digging for victory soon enough just to put food on our plates.
"Can't Think of a Headline."
How about 'Boris is the best the tories have - he's a prat.' Will that do?
I have nothing against healthy food.
Come to that people in Britain have no idea how badly they are ripped off buying tasteless, highly toxic food which is guaranteed to accelerate cancers, degenerative illnesses and a myriad of unnecessary health problems.
The food industry is focused on domination of the high street, the suppressing of producers with excess regulation and keeping control and power in the hands of big business.
People could either grow or buy better and cheaper food.
But no. Listen to iain. That's right. Let's all die young and broke, and suffer extended ill-health while still alive. What a genius you are to think of it.
Boris is an unusual politician in that he doesn't give a damn about listening to the kind of idiots who come on here and bleat total nonsense, but feel great being part of Iain's brain-dead herd.
Go ahead. Die of cancers. Suffer Parkinsons Disease for twenty years. Be my guest. Enjoy.
But, surely, the evidence is around us proving that, perhaps, Boris may be right!
I ued to visit the USA and be amazed at the number of seriously obese people -young and old- waddling around. Now wherever you are in Great Britain the same can be seen.
Look at what the mother of that young schoolgirl, featured in the press as being 32 stone!, said " I cannot afford to feed her with normal food" yet when one read what she ate, the savings from that would have provided a feast of 'normal' food.
Look at the amazement of city school children, when they visit farms, to find that milk comes from cows! that pigs provide bacon etc.
I remember when most, if not all, schools just after the war has allotments to grow vegetables.
There is nothing to match the taste of home grown, fresh, vegetables.
So if Rosie Boycott can bring back the joy and savings to everyone in growing their own - if London schools can be educated into having their own allotments to help with the all round education of our young, perhaps Boris would have done some lasting good.
Why should the Tories not take on this kind of education? Surely a fitter, leaner populace would benefit everyone?
I used to enjoy the adult way peple responded to your blogs Mr. Dale. I used to read your articles thinking you put some thought into your writing.
Today, this article is beneath you and your contributors.
We should adopt the war time slogan - Dig for Victory. because we are at war against obesity and manufactured E dominated foods.
Do me a favour, tapestry, people are living longer than ever before - cancer is (with some exceptions)primarily a disease of old age. Ergo, there is bound to a rise in the incidence of cancer.
But yes, post-war governments seem to find the process of food production incomprehensible, and the damage they have done is unforgivable.
1. You have no idea whether I grow my own food or not.
Picking your nose doesn't count!
Boris is certainly pushing his luck with this one. I don't know what he thinks a "food czar" might achieve - apart from starvation of the peasants, that is. Maybe that would be a start of a solution to 'global warming' - whatever that is.
London has a huge number of people living in flats - not surprising, considering it is a huge city. However, how are those flat dwellers to grow their own food? There aren't enough allotments for everyone, and don't think a gro-bag on the balcony (should they possess such a thing)would prove quite sufficient!
cancer is (with some exceptions)primarily a disease of old age.
I was told by an oncogenomicist that the primary cause of cancer is "living past middle age". Biologically - again, this is second-hand received info, I'm no biologist - the human body starts to deteriorate (unless actively checked from so doing) after about 35 or so, by which age one could technically have reproduced and brought offspring to the stage where they could feed and reproduce themselves.
No idea if this is true, but it makes a sort of sense.
Jafo said.
Sir or Madam, you are quite wrong.
In two growbags I have runner beans, tomatoes and peas plus a glorious sunflower from which I will get the seeds to feed the birds!!
Instead of finding excuses to knock suggestions, buy a growbag today and plant some French Runner Beans, it is not too late!
I think Boris has come up with quite abrilliant idea and the response from the city dwellers (of which I was once one!!)is predictable.
Boris cooks up something tasty!
Rosie "tinted glasses justifying my call for a" Boycott?
It is not mocking by Iain, but patronising by Rosie we have in store for us.
For "support" read "badger for taxpayer funded subsidies".
London Food Board my air biscuits!
Another QANGO, another fetid member of the liberal "elite"* wedged into a cosy sinecure.
* self-appointed
Funny, I thought Boris was supposed to be a Conservative. In office, however, he seems to be just as keen on spending other people's money as the socialists.
He should sack his food czar along with 10,000 other made up jobs, give the money back to taxpayers, who could then give it to companies to create real, wealth-creating jobs.
To the other bloggers who said he might be right: he might be. The point is, if I want to be fat that's, literally, my funeral and it's my immemorial right to do it. The Tories should focus on removing the monopolies that distort the market so that ordinary people can make free choices. If you did this you'd find that a lot of problems, from the deline of newspaper quality to the decline of eating behaviour, would solve themselves.
Peel: The purpose of government is the maximisation of feedom. This shouldn't be dead white male's aphorism; it should be the modern Conservative Party's motto still.
Judith - in fact the current generation is the first that will live less long than their parents.
Cancer kills children, and people of all ages. I'm sure you know.
Are you trying to think that toxic effects are not causing disease? Wow. You're nowhere near the market.
I'm with Boris. He is the only politician that sees what's good and right and goes for it, and takes the blow-back on the chin.
While I'm around, he's not going to be downgraded for stating what needs to be stated about food. I'm sorry Judith but I too want you to have a healthier and longer life. Please forgive me.
Do you think Boris has been replaced by an alien grown from a pod?
This sort of green quangoising is not consistent with the witty & intelligent writing he used to do taking the ---- out of such parasitism.
The organic food movement is a dangerous cult.
The deliberate decision to reduce the food yield from commercial land for dubious scientific feel-good reasons will become morally reprehensible if world-wide food shortages persist.
ps Equestrian world beware
- How many starving children does your hobby-horse do to the acre?
Rosie Boycott is enough to get politicians a bad name and that's saying something. Can't he find something for the Krays?
freedom to prosper
Growing your own food is probably fun, and a good hobby. But I doubt it's that 'green'.
Mind you, moving to organic agriculture is green, in the sense that it wouldnt support the world's population and would result in megadeaths, reducing carbon emissions.
What is this rubbish about climate change. It is NOT happening and whilst I am in favour of growing myown food I do it because it is nice to eat, cheap and gives me some useful exercise.
Once you get politicians suggesting that it should be done to help ( whatever that means ) climate change I reach for my sick bag.
Shame on you Boris
Strapworld - I stand corrected! Obviously there are more possibilities to grobags than I realised.
(it wasn't my intention to knock any useful suggestions, by the way)
However, you do suggest you aren't a city dweller any more so I might still be partially right.............
Well I shall not mention the green Eyed Monster for fear of being hit by a flying toy cast from an absolutely huge pram. Still.... not a very kindly eye cast upon Boris is it.
The truth is that the position of Mayor is formally weak and the cronies and bits are the only thing that make it work. Why should we not have a food czar ? We expend endless energy on Knives guns , terrorists and aids but I have not a snowball’s chance in Hades of being a victim of any of them
Cars and food are the killers and as we accept the risk of cars as a fair deal for getting about in style then food is the one that needs a czar.I look forward to being "nudged" in the direction of a TOFU sandwich and away from a plate of jealously ....I `m kidding I `m kidding !
To the other bloggers who said he might be right: he might be. The point is, if I want to be fat that's, literally, my funeral and it's my immemorial right to do it.
And if you wanted to be stupid would it be your right to live in a book and media free land ? Boris merely wishes helpful information to be available to those who wish to feel as if they could bite a tiger when they wake up.
Can I, in a kindly spirit ,point out that fatness also makes you impotent , infertile and should you avoid those calamities, unattractive to all but purblind Hippos anyway,
Blubbered limp seedless and hideous to behold.Dying at 50 so unloved that only when the Alsatians start sniffing at the rotting meat does anyone notice Mr. Scary Biscuit , is that what you want ?
Or would like to buy the NEWMANIA DIET DVD !!! Retailing ata generous £15 plus postage and additional charges
I voted for Boris and I am getting disappointed with him. The last thing we Londoners need is some one dishing out platitudes about organic food and telling us the end of the our planet is around the corner if I do ask for a plastic bag in the nearby Tesco Metro. There are immediate mundane problems like street crime, overcrowding in tube etc..
As a vegetarian and a pensioner, my wallet is too shallow for all organic vegetables and fruits even in Tesco let alone in trendy middle class so called health food stores. They taste no different any way.
As for climate change and the end of the planet, the latter will happen not because we here did not join the middle class dominated 'Friends of the Earth' and 'Greens' brigades but because of the efforts of just three large countries-USA, China and India.
Jaffo.
Not quite. I used to visit many flats with balconies. On which the residents had wonderful arrangements of flowers etc. Some had vegetables growing. It can be done quite easily.
Growbags + seeds + water = wonderful plants with the added bonus of FOOD.
Try it you will be amazed!
Yes I now live deep in the valley's in the green green grass of home etc etc. BUT you can never take the city out of a city dweller.
If someone like me started growing say, arctic cabbages, would I get offered the job of Arctic Cabbage Tzar? It seems that if you're an ex editor you can reinvent yourself into anything you like and get handsomely paid for it by who you know, not what you know.
Have you noticed how now we've had a couple of miserable summers, the term 'global warming' seems to have been laundered into 'climate change' pretty much universally?
I liked Prince Charles' assertion a couple of weeks ago that I could satisfy all my parsley needs by growing it in a windowbox. He clearly doesn't get through anything like the amount of the stuff I do - I've used up two large supermarket pots of the stuff already this week.
I can see merit in urban dwellers being better edumacated in where food comes from, but what is that there London's new food tsar doing cabbaging on about crime and punishment?
Given her organic leanings will that there London's new food tsar be for or agin vegetable growers using fertilisers and pesticides?
Would you want to eat food that had grown in that there London; full of polluting lorries, cars and chim-chimenies?
Have Ken's wimmin been replaced with Boris's birds?
This constant knocking by you, Iain, of the only member of our Party that has managed to win a significant election since 1992 ill becomes you. Touch of Portillo-style envy there perhaps?
Healthy food, small businesses, human scale - all seems pretty sensible to me. Farmers' markets and such like are doing well in London; we don't have to be the party of ready meals and Macdonalds. No idea whether Rosie Boycott knows anything about it, but what does the average newly appointed Government Minister know about the policy area to which they are appointed, so so what?
And it's not City dwellers who are knocking this - Iain is an Essex boy who now lives in Tunbridge Wells and hasn't got much to do with London other than presumably trashing the planet by commuting backwards and forwards more than is healthy. He even commutes here at weekends to watch West Ham for heaven's sake - futility incarnate. Why doesn't he come and live in East Ham and find out what London is really about?
newmania: Boris merely wishes helpful information to be available to those who wish to feel as if they could bite a tiger when they wake up.
Do you really think it will end there? I doubt Rosie will limit her horizons thus.
Information becomes advice becomes guidelines becomes regulation. Pamphlets become roadshows become adverts becomes TV spots. A small QANGO becomes bigger and bigger like a tumour, seeking justification to exist beyond its original remit. Such QANGOs do not wish to solve the problem, for if they did they will then cease to have a purpose and result in an end to a cushy number for all concerned. Therefore they will continue to say there is a problem or find new "problems" real or imagined.
"And that qualifies her for what, exactly?"
My thoughts exactly when Boris decided to run for Mayor (except that I didn't refer to him as a she, obviously).
I'm still wondering why on earth anybody thought he was qualified to be Mayor.
freedom to prosper said...
"Rosie Boycott is enough to get politicians a bad name and that's saying something. Can't he find something for the Krays?"
The Krays brothers are both dead. I suppose they could be used as fertiliser in your window box.
Speaking from some experience of what is and what is not GLA competence, I can say for certain that food production and distribution ARE NOT. There is nothing the Mayor can do apart from paying people large sums of money to produce papers on the subject, as Livingstone did and as his successor appears to do. Then there will be proposals to control supermarkets in some way or another - they will not work because there is nothing the Mayor can do. Then there will be proposals to support small shops by subsidizing them when they are failing - that will need much more cash from the taxpayer. Oh and about allotments - they are not within the Mayor's power either but are controlled either by local councils or private owners.
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