Going fowl in the UK over divorce with EU

Despite the saliva-inducing claims made by an American chain purveying fried gallinaceous fare that the grub it dishes out is ‘finger-lickin’ good’, not a few in Britain are chary of chicken originating from the US.

Chicken-processors there subject the birds to a chlorine rinse, a practice deemed unacceptable to EU food norms. Post-Brexit Britain, however, with trade links with Europe curtailed or cut off, might find itself constrained to go cap in hand for Uncle Sam’s capons, chlorine or no chlorine.

Despite US claims that the chemical rinse enhances hygiene, both Remainers and Leavers are treating such pronouncements as mere self-exculpatory I-wash that is to be taken with a generous pinch of salt.


The issue has already enlarged the lexicon of political invective, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson describing Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn as a ‘Chlorinated chicken’, thereby giving a new twist to the definition of fowl language.

As Brexit feathers continue to fly in Britain with Boris Johnson remaining cockily confident of departing the EU by the October 31 deadline despite growing opposition within his own ranks, the Queen presides over an embattled parliament like a distraught mother hen, and aam janta Brits might well feel that whatever the outcome, they’ll end up being what, in desi parlance, are known as the real murgas.