Boris Johnson’s food czar says Brits may have to pay taxes on meat in future even if it sparks RIOTS

Restaurateur Henry Dimbleby said that the levy on burgers, steaks, ham and sausages ‘may be necessary’ in the long term, in a draft report.

Britons may have to pay a meat tax to help save the planet in future, even though it could cause riots, Boris Johnson‘s food czar has warned.

Restaurateur Henry Dimbleby said that the levy on burgers, steaks, ham and sausages ‘may be necessary’ in the long term, in a draft report.

But the Leon chain founder ruled against their immediate introduction because of the uproar it was create in the aftermath of the pandemic. 

However, according to the Sun, the document will raise the prospect of unrest over the price of food akin to the Gilet Jaune protests that rocked France last year.

Sources told the paper was ‘still a work in progress’.

Earlier this year Mr Johnson unveiled plans to slash the UK’s greenhouse emissions by nearly four-fifths in a decade that would require cutting meat and dairy consumption by a fifth.

Average meat consumption currently stands at 70g a day, according to the NHS, so reducing this by a fifth would equal 56g – approximately the weight of a chicken breast. 

This means that someone who has meat for every three meals could only do this twice a week. 

Similarly, the average Briton would need to shave a fifth of the average milk consumption down to 16ml a day – roughly three teaspoons. 

However, according to the Sun, the document will raise the prospect of unrest over the price of food akin to the Gilet Jaune protests that rocked France last year.

Earlier this year Mr Johnson unveiled plans to slash the UK’s greenhouse emissions by nearly four-fifths in a decade that would require cutting meat and dairy consumption by a fifth.