George Eustice ridiculed after claiming Scotch eggs is a ‘substantial meal’

LBC presenter Nick Ferrari asked what constitutes as a meal – and whether a Scotch egg would be substantial enough.

“I think a Scotch egg probably would count as a substantial meal if there were table service,” he said, before adding “and often that might count as a starter”.

“This is a term that’s understood in licensing – you can have the concept of a table license for alcohol that also requires you to serve a substantial meal.”

“So we can serve Scotch eggs”, noted Ferrari, to some bemusement from listeners.

Pip Tomson responded: “Great. I’ll have a packet of crisps delivered on a plate then..”

“What about a pickled egg?”, queries Phil Ritchie.

Twitter user @4Spinspel wrote: “I can’t believe we’re seriously discussing this. The absolute lunacy of it.”

Another replied: “Fifteen pints of Stella and scotch egg please? Completely bizarre.”

Mark O’Toole wrote: “They haven’t got a clue, never heard a scotch egg called a meal before!”

Karen Shaf, meanwhile, tweeted: “Ironic, isn’t it? One minute, the government are denying kids a substantial school meal and the next insisting that a paying adult has to have one if they want a beer or glass of wine in a pub.”

“Maybe the government is trying to redefine the meaning of ‘food poverty’,” commented Anita Bellows.

“They’re actually taking the piss now, aren’t they?” asked Peter McClean.