A Buy Britain campaign organised by the Blue Collar Conservative group of MPs has gone viral on Twitter as Brexiteers hit out at France’s “politically-motivated” border restrictions.
Earlier this week Boris Johnson chaired a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee to discuss the mutant coronavirus and the travel restrictions imposed by the French and a string of other countries in Europe and beyond.
The closure of cross-channel routes until at least Wednesday has alarmed businesses in the lead-up to Christmas and with the added complication of the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31.
Sainsbury’s warned that disruption could hit supplies of lettuce, some salad leaves, cauliflowers, broccoli and citrus fruit, all of which are imported from the continent at this time of year.
And according to some people on Twitter, the restrictions could be politically motivated.
‘Brian o Nazareth’ urged the “people of the UK not to buy the EU bully boy products” and instead buy from British producers, and Stu Hamilton said he’ll never eat French cheese again.
people of UK ?? I urge you not to buy the EU bully boy products – buy and support your British producers .. ??
— Brian (@BrianoNazereth) December 20, 2020
the EU travel restrictions aren’t about the virus this is about EU punishment beatings..#BuyBritish pic.twitter.com/OvE4V3PiE9
The perfect response to the French closing their borders to British exports & continental imports is obvious – and feelgood
— Martin Daubney (@MartinDaubney) December 21, 2020
Buy British wherever possible continue to do so!
We should have a huge government campaign to do so, across the board, come January 1st #BritishIsBest pic.twitter.com/uvxh0ebTey
But others have been quick to point out our reliance on imports, and the fact that we have been allowed to buy British all along.
Here’s the best of the reaction so far:
Buy British oranges and bananas, you traitors. Right now! #BuyBritish
— Mandoline ❄️ (@Mandoline_Blue) December 21, 2020
#BuyBritish lemons, oranges, avocados, coffee, fertilisers, energy, milling wheat, tea. Tea? We don’t produce… wait a shitting minute… shit all? #BrexitReality
— Baron von Jasper (@SpanielJasper) December 21, 2020
#BuyBritish (Grown in Spain)
— Naughty Lefty Anti-fascist Luddite (@BenjaminMcDonn6) December 21, 2020
Washed in Nepal
Packaged in Argentina
Inspected by Italy
Bought in Britain
Proceeds go to Scotland… pic.twitter.com/XFlTEMYXzT
If you’re such patriots, what was stopping you buying British before? #BuyBritish
— Jack Peat (@jacknpeat) December 21, 2020
Related: Rees-Mogg is wrong, “playing politics” is cutting aid under the banner of Global Britain
