Essex MP wants pie and mash recognised for 'the nutritious meal it is'

The MP for Basildon and Billericay has been telling us why he's decided to lead a parliamentary debate in the hope to secure protected status for traditional pie and mash.

Conservative former minister Richard Holden and producers have made representations to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) about an application for Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status for the dish.

Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Richard said "I think there's a bit of a narrative out there that pie and mash isn't thriving, it's dying, and actually, I don't think that's necessarily true.

I want to champion it in Parliament, and I want to see it recognised for the nutritious meal it is."

When asked how Defra reacted to Richard's original proposal, he said "they need to know a little bit more.

They want to make sure it's right, because all the different pie shops, the families who are in the different pie shops, have their own slightly different takes on it.

So, I'll make sure that no pie in any shop is excluded from it and and we get it right."

The recipe involves a minced beef pie served with mashed potatoes and a parsley sauce known as liquor.

Richard told us he likes his with "normal vinegar."

He said he likes "quite a lot of it, spread right across the pie mash and the liquor, and then it all being a bit mixed up."

Environment minister Daniel Zeichner has said "Once a formal application is submitted, a full assessment of the case can be made."

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