𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Ed Miliband has been accused of plotting a radical change to Britons’ diets, which could see meat switched for insects in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. The astonishing accusation came after an official paper from the Government Office for Science took aim at the country’s love of steak as a key driver of damaging emissions.

Published last week, the Net Zero strategy document included a recommendation to reduce pollutants from Britain’s agriculture sector by improving “options for a lower-carbon diet”, including ramping up the consumption of “alternative proteins”. While the paper specified this to include plant-based meat, cultivated meat and precision fermentation, the Conservatives have warned this could include a push to introduce more bugs and insects into people’s diets. According to EIT food, it is estimated that by 2054, around 11% of global protein consumption will be in the form of edible insects, such as crickets, mealworms and grasshoppers.

The global insect protein market is also set to grow by 24% by 2029.

Responding to the official government report, shadow Tory farming minister Robbie Moore warned Ed Miliband is now a threat to the historic British diet.

He told the Express: “It’s out with meat and in with insects for Red Ed who seems determined to turn hardworking Brits’ dinners into a daily bushtucker trial.

“Making us eat bugs will do nothing to stop global warming. It’s time he got real.

“On top of their family farm tax, this is another blow in Labour’s war on the countryside. We scrapped these plans in government, it’s about time Labour do the same.”

A paper by Edge Hill University last year argued that insect proteins are “per and easier to farm, often lower in fat and have a lower environmental impact than traditional livestock”.

However the boffins acknowledged that the “disgust factor” must be overcome if they are to enter Britons’ diets on a wide scale.

Just 13% of those questioned for the academic study said they would be willing to eat insects regularly, compared to 47% saying they would not.

Dr Maxine Sharps argued: “The disgust factor is one of most important challenges to be overcome.

“After all, there may be eventually no choice with climate change and projected global population growth.”

The wider Government report was published in an effort to estimate the technology mix that will be needed in Britain’s highest emitting sectors to achieve the target of Net Zero by 2050.

Alongside pushing for a reduction in red meat consumption, it suggested that methane-suppressing feed additives and vaccines be administered to cattle, as well as selective livestock breeding.

The other big polluting industries covered including industrial output, transport, heat and buildings, and power generation.

The report specified that it is not a statement of government policy, and the Department for Science and Technology was approached for comment.