1/8 The government has responded to my petition on marks of origin on food. The response is good news, I think, but probably not as good news as the government would like us to think.

2/8 Remember that, among other sources, thanks to this excellent thread from @pmdfoster, we know how difficult this is for the govt in the context of a UK/US FTA. https://twitter.com/pmdfoster/status/1273287764667256834?s=20

3/8 You can either take the govt's reply to the petition at face value, or you can take it as a sign they recognise how dangerous the issue is and are doing a "nothing to see here" response. My bet is on the latter. Here's why

4/8 First, that first sentence looks good, until you realise that first, the regulations referred to aren't specified, and second you note the qualification "high quality" British food. "Lower quality" food is excluded.

5/8 Second at the beginning of the second paragraph, you note that nothing will change "at the end of the transition period". Good. But what about end of transition plus one month? Why specify that point, if you are committed to maintaining standards permanently?

6/8 I may be paranoid (and remember Cummings himself keeps telling aides to read Only the Paranoid Survive), but these things bother me. Taken at face value, the govt's response suggests they are prepared to deny the Americans what they want in the FTA.

7/8 Really? Forgive me for being sceptical. That would limit the FTA quite severely, I think; it might screw the chances of getting one altogether. So, I conclude that the government's response is trying to stop people signing this, or any of the other petitions on food.

8/8 So please, if you haven't, join the 13.5k people who have signed. If you have signed, thank you. All we're asking is that we should know where food comes from. To support British producers, and help combat climate change. You know it makes sense.