Ranjit Boparan, also referred to as the “Chicken King”, has been accused of sending unsolicited gifts to the MPs who are investigating his 2 Sisters food company's scandal over poultry safety.
Chairman of the environment, food and rural affairs committee, Neil Parish, has written to Boparan saying that the gifts were an “inappropriate gesture on your part and an unwarranted attempt to impugn the committee's impartiality”.
Labour MP for Newport West, Paul Flynn informed The Daily Telegraph that only half of the MPs on the committee had received food hampers estimated to be worth about £100, filled with biscuits made by Boparan's Fox's Biscuits. Paul Flynn said, “The gifts caused a great deal of consternation as it suggested that the MPs who did receive the biscuits could be bought by biscuits. Those that didn't receive them could be judged to be beyond corruption. Biscuits will never buy us.”
Neil Parish wrote to Boparan stating that all gifts will be donated to charity or returned. “I would be grateful if you would respect the integrity and independence of the committee and avoid similar gestures in future.”
However, the company said that they had written to Parish, explaining that the “hamper” was worth less than £25, which is sent to hundreds of “external stakeholders as a goodwill gesture for Christmas”.
