Neil Parish MP has published a letter on the website of Defra’s select committee strongly criticising Ranjit Boparan for sending Christmas presents to MPs tasked with scrutinising practices at 2 Sisters Food Group.
Last year, Boparan was grilled by Parish in a public hearing over supposed hygiene failures at the business’s chicken processing plant in West Bromwich that were exposed by undercover reporters from The Guardian and ITN.
In the letter, Parish wrote that several members of the committee received unsolicited gifts over the Christmas period and describes them as ‘an inappropriate gesture’ and an ‘unwarranted attempt to impugn the committee’s impartiality. I would be grateful if you would respect the integrity and independence of the committee and avoid such gestures in future.’
All the gifts had either been returned or donated to charity, the letter added.