Buttering us up

A butter plant – albeit a £17m one – would seem an unlikely forum for a lesson in the history of capitalism and the merits of EU membership.

But Müller Group’s new factory in Shropshire proved to be just that, on the occasion of a visit by company boss Theo Müller.

“He’s a big fan of the UK and the English nation,” Müller’s translator gushed as they stood on stage at the opening of the butter factory in Shropshire last week.

After a brief explanation of Müller’s introduction to England (through a geography lesson and the publicity around Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953), the speech moved on to bigger things.

Referencing the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and what Müller claimed was the foundation of democracy, he declared: “There’s no other nation that did so much for mankind than the UK.” You could say he was buttering us up.

Attendees were then taken through Manchester Capitalism and the 19th-century fight against the Corn Laws, which had kept food prices high.

(Environment secretary and local MP Owen Paterson – fresh in from chairing a COBRA meeting that morning – was only too happy to remind the translator of the movement’s founders, Richard Cobden and John Bright.)

And then on to 1973, and the UK’s entry into the EU.

“That was the reason he [Müller] was able to come to the UK and build up the business,” the translator said.

Essentially, if it hadn’t been for the EU, Müller, one of the UK’s biggest companies and brands, may not have set up shop in the UK.

Noted Eurosceptic Paterson didn’t have much to say on that point, pledging instead to “continue to give Müller every possible support and publicity”. He added: “Having an incredibly successful, forward-looking business like Müller at the heart of Britain’s dairy industry is incredibly encouraging.”

Paterson also claimed that UK dairy would only get out of the “hole” it was left in by the Milk Marketing Board by “adding value and by clever marketing and by brilliantly efficient production and that is exactly what Müller is all about”.

Whether Müller can make it in butter as he has done in the UK yoghurt market remains to be seen, but he has at least – whether he meant to or not – given the Conservative part of our government food for thought on the UK’s EU membership.