Every year, the pleasures of autumn are marred by extensive coverage of tedious political party conferences where preening politicians with their fake standing ovations try to convince us  why they should be the ones in power, writes Anne Marie Hamilton.

Like the vast majority of the population in this country, I usually manage to tune them out and ignore their posturing. However, just occasionally, something so outrageous comes up that it pierces my boredom threshold and catches my attention.

This year, that honour went to Jacob Rees-Mogg who declared that he thought that we should allow Australian beef full of growth hormones to be put on sale in this country.

He proudly declared that he had eaten it and that it had not done him any harm. 

I was truly horrified by his remarks and wondered why on earth farmers in this country go to so much time and trouble to produce healthy, safe and fully traceable food for everyone, when a random politician then comes up with a daft idea like that.

I was very thankful to hear, a few hours later, the Defra Minister, Thérèse Coffey, denounce him and say that beef with growth hormones in it would not be allowed into the country.

I did, however, have some reservations as the new food checking system that we have been promised since long before Brexit, has still not been introduced, and keeps being put back.

It is now supposed to come into operation in January 2024, but I am not holding my breath.

I am really concerned at the cavalier attitude the average politician has towards food security and food safety.

With current instability of the wars in Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine, plus the changing climate, regular food supplies from abroad can no longer be guaranteed.

It may come as a surprise to Jacob Rees-Mogg, but British food is some of the highest quality, safest, and most nutritious food produced anywhere.

We have the climate and the natural resources to provide fresh, affordable food for everyone, in every corner of the UK.

We need our politicians to truly back British farming.