Campaign for Cockney pie and mash to get protected status started by Tory MP ‘bloody loyal to North East’

Former Conservative minister Richard Holden is leading a campaign to secure protected status for traditional pie and mash as a celebration of the “original fast food”.

Mr Holden and producers have made representations to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) about an application for Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status for the dish.

The former Tory party chairman, who was parachuted into the Conservative safe seat of Basildon and Billericay in Essex, will lead a parliamentary debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday to further press the case for the “cracking” products to get the “recognition they deserve”.

He was hand-picked by Rishi Sunak to be placed on a shortlist of one at the general election after his North West Durham seat, 300 miles from Essex, ceased to exist following the boundary review.

Mr Holden previously declared he was “bloody loyal to the North East”, despite choosing not to stand in any of the local constituencies that would replace his seat.

Now, he is fighting to give the traditional Cockney delicacy protected status from the government.

TSG is a quality scheme that protects the names of food and agricultural products that are made using traditional methods or ingredients. Bramley Apple pie filling and Cornish pasties are some of the foods protected under the scheme.

Traditional pie and mash may be given TSG status if there is agreement between producers on the recipe that would need to be follow to use the name in future, Defra said.

The recipe involves a minced beef pie served with mashed potatoes and a parsley sauce known as liquor.

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Mr Holden said he has written to more than 40 MPs who have a pie and mash shop in their constituency. He is confident TSG status will be granted, adding: “I don’t start campaigns I can’t win.”

As Tory chairman, Mr Holden was directly responsible for the party’s 2024 general election campaign, which saw the Conservatives suffer their worst defeat in history.

“It’s part of a campaign to celebrate and really promote pie and mash, which has spread out from its beginnings in central and east London, down the Thames Gateway and out into the world,” he said.

“I’ve been to these pie and mash shops, they make them on site, every day, they’re the original fast food, pies made in advance and they are made by artisans, it’s a nice thing and I think it’s something that’s been a bit underappreciated.”

He said talks are already happening with Defra and he is “hopeful that over time that will move further in the right direction”.

Asked about his experiences of eating pie and mash, Mr Holden replied: “Cracking. Original pie and mash was an eel pie but when the Thames was polluted during the industrial revolution basically eels were no longer there so they switched to having mince in it.

“The crucial thing is they kept the liquor from the original eel pie, which is why you’ve got the parsley sauce because traditionally parsley liquor would always have gone with a fish dish.

“Personally I prefer mine also with vinegar, some people have chilli vinegar – it’s not for me. It’s not malted vinegar, it’s a specific sort of vinegar that they have with it.”

Environment minister Daniel Zeichner, replying to a written question from Mr Holden, said: “Defra officials have already discussed the application process for Traditional Speciality Guaranteed status with a representative of the producers.

“They are clear that an application for TSG status requires agreement on the recipe that producers would need to follow to use the name in future.

“They also understand that all those wishing to use the name would need periodic verification of their practices.

“Once a formal application is submitted, a full assessment of the case can be made.”