IT takes a very brave person to challenge a Government under Boris Johnson on his plans for post Brexit Britain. Chris Sherwood, CEO RSPCA in his letter to the Harrow Times, has highlighted yet another "hidden gem" the Prime Minister chose to keep quiet on when imploring voters to vote for him and shoot themselves in the foot.

I am sorry to say that Chris Sherwood is wasting his time in asking anyone to sign a petition that would make this Government, or indeed any other, to change its mind over fundamental or, as in this case, its ideological policy on food standards.

Remember the Brexit rhetoric which insisted all the UK’s troubles would be over and we would all be so much better off, “if only we ditched the EU and its regulations” and we followed America. Well, centre piece of EU regulations are standards for food, hygiene, water quality and so on.

Well known but dismissed as Project Fear was that in Trump’s America, Brexit is just a means to an end, America’s end. Trump had demanded full access by US Farmers to the UK Market should the UK wish to have a Free Trade Agreement. Remember President Obama saw the UK as the gateway to Europe but was accused of bullying the UK by challenging the rhetoric of Boris Johnson!

The Prime Minister knew President Trump's demand when he signed the EU Withdrawal Agreement which is why his Government introduced the Internal Market Bill which surprise, surprise allows him to set his own standards. So, the Prime Minister breaks an International Agreement. Who in The UK cares? Conservative Members of Parliament don’t and the general public are told to stop carping.

Because the House of Commons voted not to debate any UK trade deals, which would include the USA, an unprecedented action caused by a failure of moral standing by MPs fearful of their jobs, as Chris said, the House of Lords is critical in holding the Government to account. Hard to image that happening in the EU whose Parliament insists on debating all bills before passing them on to individual Governments for comment and approval before ratification. But I digress.

“The great British public” has been told the Internal Market Bill is to overcome EU intransigence. The House of Lords sees it for what it is, another smoke screen of Government to hide from view, amongst other issues, the new UK food standards the EU has insisted for more than three years must be published before any deal can be struck. You couldn’t make this up; the EU believes that the UK would slip “under the radar” American Food Standards and import chlorinated chicken and so on into the EU. The devolved governments of Wales and Scotland also believe this and that our Prime Minister has a track record of saying one thing but doing something else. Wow!

Lowering food standards is unacceptable but a petition will not by itself make the Government change its mind. Only Members of Parliament can do thi,s but only if they have the backbone to do so. Listening to many on Radio and Television, I wouldn't hold your breath. Maybe the house of Lords can.

Chris Sherwood's letter is just another illustration of the dog’s breakfast of Brexit UK and will no doubt be followed by many others in the press; they are the reality Brexit.

Christopher Langley

Mayfield Avenue , Kenton