Tonight BBC Panorama will investigate ‘Britain’s Food & Farming: The Brexit Effect’.The publicity clip and an article on the BBC News website this morning both lead with the the gloomy prediction of ex-Sainsbury’s boss – and ardent Remain campaigner – Justin King, who says:

“[Shoppers will face] higher prices, less choice and poorer quality. Brexit, almost in whatever version it is, will introduce barriers. That makes it less efficient which means all three of those benefits – prices, quality and choice – go backwards.”

Yet British supermarkets won’t put their name to King’s analysis. The big four and other major retailers declined to speak to Panorama – the Beeb couldn’t get any of them to join in the doom-mongering. Opposing arguments have been given little play in the trail. King’s comments also seem at odds with the much more nuanced views of the current Sainsbury’s CEO. Mike Coupe said in March:

“I don’t think Brexit negotiations will change trends we are seeing in customer shopping habits. The basic premise of the business is to adapt to the changing world.”

Remember King represented the Remain campaign on the BBC Great Debate’s supplementary panel. And now his personal, quite outspoken opinion is a headline on the BBC News website…