scores on the doors

Lord Rooker, the chairman of the Food Standards Agency, is in my opinion a hectoring nannying authoritarian ringpiece. In an article published in the Independent today he would gladly force food industry businesses to sign up to a voluntary ratings scheme.

In an interview to mark the first 10 years of the FSA – which he helped found as a minister in the former Ministry of Agriculture in 2000 – Lord Rooker said that all outlets would want to join a national scheme eventually accepted by council and industry bodies.

"Once we get to the point where we've got a system that can be used by industry and they're not using it, then quite clearly, we would inspect them more often and with full cost recovery."

What? The? Fuck?

As you may be aware I run a food business. I have annual inspections from the local E.H.O every 18 months and no that isn't a typing error. Based on the results of your inspection the E.H.O will decide whether they need to return in 6,12,18 or 24 months. I've been on 18 month intervals for the last 10 years.

I cannot see the point of signing up to the 'scores on the doors' scheme. Putting a sticky fucking label on the door of the premises is not going to affect the levels of safety and hygiene that we operate at. It's a waste of time, a waste of money, another burden of bureaucracy that quite frankly we can do without. If Lord Rooker has his way I will be hounded to the point of bankruptcy if I don't voluntarily join.

You want to force me out of business because I won't display your sticker? Go fuck yourself Lord Rooker.



H/T to JuliaM for pointing out the story via Twitter