Paul’s paté problems...

8:20am Friday 16th March 2007

ONE man. One petition. One almighty international row.

York councillor Paul Blanchard seems to have trodden on more than a few toes in his quest to ban the French delicacy foie gras from the city's shops and restaurants.

Restaurateurs, retailers and manufacturers of the controversial dish have all voiced their disapproval of his campaign.

But even Paul was taken a back when he saw pictures of an angry Parisian mob baying for his blood.

Veins bulging in their foreheads, the angry demonstrators waved home-made placards emblazoned with Coun Blanchard's defiant face.

"Students protesting in Paris at le rosbeef campaigner Paul Blanchard" read the caption.

He was shocked, and so was The Diary - how could what started as a council motion in Guildhall couldn't have snowballed into an all-out international confrontation?

Alas, it seems, tempers have not yet flared to mass-mob levels.

While the French are apparently rather irked by Monsieur Blanchard's campaign, this mob - for now at least - have other matters on their mind.

Coun Blanchard explains: "I got an email from my friend Jon Boyes, from InCamera photography, who said he had found it on the Reuters website.

"Like most people, at first glance I thought it was genuine and was taken aback! However, within about five seconds the penny dropped. He is quite the joker - though it's not yet April 1 - and he seems to be very good with Photoshop."

Joking aside, support continues to pour in on Coun Blanchard's online petition, which calls for foie gras - which is made by force-feeding geese and ducks - to be banned.

Coun Blanchard said: "I'm pleased with the petition progress so far too - with just under 1,500 signatures so far, although one idiot has signed it "Ivor Burst-Liver".

Coun Blanchard first tabled his motion to a full meeting of City of York Council in January.

The matter was deferred without debate, for officers to carry out a more wide-ranging study into what steps, if any, the council could take regarding animal cruelty.