The furore seems to have died down with regard to the closing of the 2 Sisters plant where members on the production line were seen picking chicken pieces off the floor and changing kill dates.

While not condoning these practices, it vividly demonstrates the pressure the company was under to turn a reasonable profit when being a big supplier to a supermarket, or in this case several supermarkets. One can imagine the leverage the various procurement teams had on this company to do the job for virtually nothing.

Ironic too, isn’t it, to witness identical chicken leaving the factory in packages with labels depicting rural scenes with enticing farm names attached to them to conform with the individual supermarket’s branding. This, however, is a microcosm of the food industry in this country as it passes through the multiple retailers. Given that at least £13 billion worth of food is chucked away each year, it is patently obvious that most of it emanates from the packaged variety.

This equates to the average UK household wasting £470 worth of food every year, which in turn costs money to process through the waste industry. Yet still the “remoaners” keep clacking on about the rise in food prices post Brexit. Food is too cheap and you can see who eats most of it and probably wastes a lot of it – the fat layabouts pushing two kids up the street with a fag in one hand and a ‘phone in the other!

Another favourite of the Brexit bashers is constantly reminding us that holidays are going to be more expensive. Well great I say, when you see and hear about our youth getting blind drunk 24/7, puking on the pavement, while at the same time giving this country a seriously damaging reputation. It is disgusting. On the other side of the coin are the thousands of holidaymakers who have been faking illness in order to gain compensation from the holiday companies. It leads one to wonder why certain parts of the European Union are not keen for us to cease our membership!

On that last topic, I just wish May and Co would remind Merkel and Co that we are leaving the EU in 2019 and if the two sides of the negotiating teams are not willing or able to get serious and come up with a deal that is of benefit to both parties, we will be gone anyway without contributing a cent. I just get the impression we are being too soft. A few bids off the wall would not go amiss.

On matters more parochial, a house in our village was put on the market with one of those online estate agents who spend millions reminding us that they can sell your house for peanuts and probably for five to ten times less commission than a traditional estate agent. I would remind everyone that when you pay peanuts you get monkeys. This particular house was put on the market three months ago and even before the board went up people were hanging off the gate for a viewing.

The house was sold subject to contract immediately. However, nothing was concluded and during the next two months the vendors were unable to contact the online agency, and indeed, said agents did not try to contact them. Eventually the householders gave up and instructed a local agent – who took far superior photographs arranging the contents of the house to its best advantage, produced seriously good particulars and effected a sale almost immediately.

The important bit is this – the owners put up front £895 to have access to the online listing and in the event of the sale not being concluded – they lost this amount of money. It does not take a brain surgeon to work out that for every house the company takes on they are in immediate profit whereas my old firm operates a no sale/no fee policy.

Those online agents are springing up like weeds on a footpath and include such well advertised names as half bricks, hopeless, howsimple and letitgo.com. Questions to ask – do they do accompanied viewings, do they vet potential buyers, do they tie you in using in house professionals, and finally, do they care if they sell your house or not?

One last request – would somebody please chop up George Osborne and put him in a freezer – he is a traitor to himself and to his country. A little man who once filled big shoes.

PS: Had three hours helping management in the garden yesterday, grinning and bearing it. This morning not grinning and certainly not bearing it!