'I will not touch bread if it is moist': Kemi Badenoch sparks Westminster food fight

In a statement that may spark more discussion than their typical debates in Parliament, the prime minister praised the simple sandwich as “a wonderful British tradition” after Kemi Badenoch criticized it, calling it “not genuine food.”

In a discussion with the Spectator, the opposition leader embraced her inner business mogul, stating, “Lunch is for the weak. I have meals delivered while I continue working. There’s never enough time… Occasionally, I treat myself to a steak,” she remarked.

Eager to join the conversation, Starmer's spokesperson chimed in, mentioning that the prime minister was "taken aback" to learn that Badenoch had ordered a steak for lunch, while he himself chose a cheese toastie instead.

Badenoch previously expressed her strong dislike for snacks that involve bread. In an interview with the Spectator, she stated, “I’m not a fan of sandwiches; I don’t consider them to be actual food, they’re more of a breakfast item for me. I avoid bread if it’s soggy.”

A spokesperson for Starmer replied, “I believe he was caught off guard to learn that the opposition leader prefers to have steak for lunch. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is perfectly content with a sandwich for his meal.”

When asked about the prime minister's preferred sandwich, they responded, "I believe he likes a tuna sandwich and sometimes treats himself to a cheese toastie."

Badenoch quickly criticized the Prime Minister's reaction to her comments on social media, stating: "The Prime Minister can take time to reply to my light-hearted remarks about lunch, yet has no time for the farmers who supply our food."

Westminster has previously been stirred up over sandwich selections. Back in the last Conservative administration, housing minister Dominic Raab made headlines when it came to light that he had the same lunch each day: a chicken and bacon baguette from Pret a Manger, along with a "superfruit" pot and a vitamin-packed smoothie.

A poll conducted by Hovis earlier this year revealed that the most popular sandwich in the country is the BLT, with chicken salad and tuna mayo coming in second and third place.

Lunch options weren't the only cultural barrier that Badenoch aimed to highlight during the interview.

The Tory leader later criticized Starmer for mentioning that he could watch Love Actually during Christmas, saying that she favors watching Die Hard during the holiday season instead.

“She mentioned to the Spectator that there’s a British prime minister who's being careless and failing to manage foreign policy correctly. There’s a lot of deceptive behavior happening, along with various issues behind the facade of everything seeming cheerful and lighthearted.”