Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer were among MPs seen sporting sheafs of wheat on their lapels as they faced off in the Commons at PMQs.
Despite eliciting memories of Theresa May’s naughtiest admissions, the decorations were in fact in aid of Back British Farming Day, which falls on 15 September this year.
Organised by the National Farmers’ Union for England and Wales (NFU), the event is aimed at celebrating the British farming sector and to encourage politicians to ensure it is prioritised during future trade deals.
Wearing a sheaf of wheat on Wednesday, the prime minister rejected a plea to introduce emergency work visas after an MP said crops were “rotting” in his constituency due to labour shortages.
“On this Back British Farming Day, we are in harvest time and all is not safely gathered in,” Tory MP Sir Roger Gale said
“In three weeks, Thanet Earth in my constituency, one of the largest glasshouse companies in the country growing tomatoes, has had to trash £320,000 worth of produce because of no pickers and no drivers. Because of a lack of labour force, the crops are rotting in the fields and on our trees.
Sir Roger added: “Will the prime minister seek to introduce immediately a Covid recovery visa, so that this year’s crops are not lost?”
Boris Johnson said: “He is absolutely right in what he says about the importance of buying British and eating British. Our food is the best in the world.”
The prime minister added: “He is right to address the problem in the supply chain that we are currently seeing but we are taking steps, and of course this has been a problem for a long time but what we have is the Seasonal Agricultural Workers scheme, which we will use to ensure that British farmers get the labour that they need.”
Additional reporting by Press Association
