Keep the Union Jack flying

Union Jack Flag

Euro-MP Paul Nuttall has vowed to "keep flying the flag" for British meat products.

His support for the system of displaying the distinctive Union Jack flag comes in the wake of EU plans that may ban it.

"This is more EU nonsense, and heaven knows how many times I've had to describe their proposals in such terms," said Mr Nuttall, UKIP deputy leader.

The European Commission wants to limit country of origin labels to the name of the member state where the animal was reared and slaughtered. This could mean an end to displaying national flags.

Mr Nuttall also fears that it could prevent meat being labelled English, Welsh or Scottish, because these are not stand-alone EU member states and it would all be described as from the UK.

The proposals apply to unprocessed pork, poultry, sheep and goat meat. Beef has a separate system of labelling following the BSE scandal.

"The Commission is also considering making all products containing meat subject to the country-of-origin rules which would result in chaos," said Mr Nuttall.

"Producers must retain the right to flag up the country of origin with a symbol such as the Union Jack. I am glad to learn that DEFRA is against these draft proposals and I hope that they robustly follow through their objections.

"But the reality is Brussels ploughs on with its plans regardless of objections, if not immediately, then at some later stage after kicking them into the long grass - which is why we must leave the EU," he added.

The EC proposals are due to be formally published at the end of this month.