This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/5405186.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Tories say Jamie Oliver a 'hero' | Tories say Jamie Oliver a 'hero' |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Conservatives have hailed television chef Jamie Oliver as a "national hero", in a debate at the party's annual conference in Bournemouth. | Conservatives have hailed television chef Jamie Oliver as a "national hero", in a debate at the party's annual conference in Bournemouth. |
| Delegates voted by 77% to 23% in favour of the school dinner campaigner. | Delegates voted by 77% to 23% in favour of the school dinner campaigner. |
| Tory MP Boris Johnson, criticised on Tuesday for saying children should be allowed to eat pies, told the meeting Mr Oliver was a "messiah". | Tory MP Boris Johnson, criticised on Tuesday for saying children should be allowed to eat pies, told the meeting Mr Oliver was a "messiah". |
| And he defended comments he made about "too much" pressure being put on children to eat healthily. | And he defended comments he made about "too much" pressure being put on children to eat healthily. |
| He told the conference that what he had meant was that as long as pupils had the choice of crisps and junk food it would be difficult for schools to persuade them to pick the healthy option. | He told the conference that what he had meant was that as long as pupils had the choice of crisps and junk food it would be difficult for schools to persuade them to pick the healthy option. |
| Let's allow the odd eccentric to be in politics William Hague Analysis: Boris's value href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5402100.stm" class="">Boris slams Jamie campaign | |
| "What I said was if you really wanted to make Jamie's solution work, you would have to have a completely paternalist, out and out 'eat what you are given', approach," he said. | "What I said was if you really wanted to make Jamie's solution work, you would have to have a completely paternalist, out and out 'eat what you are given', approach," he said. |
| He suggested packed lunches "should be banned", although he shortly afterwards backed one delegate who said parents should be free to choose what goes in their children's packed lunches. | He suggested packed lunches "should be banned", although he shortly afterwards backed one delegate who said parents should be free to choose what goes in their children's packed lunches. |
| The shadow higher education minister was cheered on to the platform by delegates, and described by panel chairman Theresa Villiers as a "national treasure". | The shadow higher education minister was cheered on to the platform by delegates, and described by panel chairman Theresa Villiers as a "national treasure". |
| Under siege | Under siege |
| He had been at the centre of media interest since saying, at a fringe meeting on Monday evening, that the pressure on children to eat healthy food was "too much" and asking why mothers shouldn't "push pies through the railings". | He had been at the centre of media interest since saying, at a fringe meeting on Monday evening, that the pressure on children to eat healthy food was "too much" and asking why mothers shouldn't "push pies through the railings". |
| After the comments were published on the BBC News website he was besieged by journalists at the conference in Bournemouth on Tuesday. | After the comments were published on the BBC News website he was besieged by journalists at the conference in Bournemouth on Tuesday. |
| The Henley MP initially took refuge in the party's conference press office, emerging after three quarters of an hour to be mobbed by reporters and photographers. | The Henley MP initially took refuge in the party's conference press office, emerging after three quarters of an hour to be mobbed by reporters and photographers. |
| As he was pursued from the conference centre by a media scrum, one reporter shouted: "Thanks, Boris you have given us the only story of the conference." | As he was pursued from the conference centre by a media scrum, one reporter shouted: "Thanks, Boris you have given us the only story of the conference." |
| "You're welcome - but what is the story?" replied Mr Johnson. | "You're welcome - but what is the story?" replied Mr Johnson. |
| He claimed he had been misquoted, telling reporters Mr Oliver was a "national saint". | He claimed he had been misquoted, telling reporters Mr Oliver was a "national saint". |
| 'Valued colleague' | 'Valued colleague' |
| On Wednesday morning, Mr Hague laughed off the comments, telling BBC Breakfast: "Boris is Boris". | On Wednesday morning, Mr Hague laughed off the comments, telling BBC Breakfast: "Boris is Boris". |
| "There is room for a maverick or an eccentric in politics and he is a maverick and he is an eccentric," he said. | "There is room for a maverick or an eccentric in politics and he is a maverick and he is an eccentric," he said. |
| "But he does a very good job as well on higher education and let's allow the odd eccentric to be in politics, let's not drive them all out of politics." | "But he does a very good job as well on higher education and let's allow the odd eccentric to be in politics, let's not drive them all out of politics." |
| Asked if Mr Johnson was really fit for the highest office, Mr Hague said the highest office was prime minister, and David Cameron was the Tory candidate for that post. | Asked if Mr Johnson was really fit for the highest office, Mr Hague said the highest office was prime minister, and David Cameron was the Tory candidate for that post. |
| "Let's not promote him that much," said Mr Hague. "But no, Boris is a very valued member of our party. | "Let's not promote him that much," said Mr Hague. "But no, Boris is a very valued member of our party. |
| "Clearly we don't all necessarily agree with everything he says but it does not have to be a monolithic organisation." | "Clearly we don't all necessarily agree with everything he says but it does not have to be a monolithic organisation." |
| On Sunday, Tory leader David Cameron heaped praise on Mr Oliver's crusade to make school dinners more nutritious. | On Sunday, Tory leader David Cameron heaped praise on Mr Oliver's crusade to make school dinners more nutritious. |