Leon founder quits as government food tsar and accuses Health Secretary of ... trends now
The former government food tsar has launched an astonishing attack on the Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, and accused him of 'letting people get ill'.
Henry Dimbleby, founder of Leon restaurant, stepped down in order to be free to criticise an 'insane' failure to tackle a national obesity crisis.
He was commissioned by the Conservatives to produce a series of recommendations to improve the nation's diet and combat the dangers caused by the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
However, he claims many of the measures have been watered-down, pushed back or junked in what the now former government adviser slammed as 'completely shocking' and 'depressing'.
He suggested his efforts had fallen victim to a food culture war at the top of government with some ministers reluctant to be seen as pushing 'Nanny State' policies.
Henry Dimbleby was commissioned by the Conservatives to produce a series of recommendations to improve the nation's diet
The Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, has been accused of 'letting people get ill'
In a blast at the Health Secretary, he said: 'Steve Barclay has talked about prevention, but actually if you read what he's said it's not prevention, it's early diagnosis.
'He seems to be very much in the 'let people get ill but treat it earlier' camp. It's an embarrassment.'
He told The Grocer: 'I'm very pessimistic, I just don't think they get it.'
Some 64 per cent of adults in England are either overweight or obese, which is leaving the NHS with a crippling bill to treat the associated ill health from heart disease to cancer.
Mr Dimbleby was appointed by Michael Gove and his report was subsequently, apparently enthusiastically, welcomed by Boris Johnson.
