Yorkshire Tea has urged social media users to "try to be kind" after unwittingly being put at the centre of a "political mudfight" by new Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Ahead of next month's Budget, Mr Sunak last week posted a picture of himself making tea for his Treasury team as they prepared the government's upcoming fiscal announcement.

But his actions in posing next to a large bag of Yorkshire Tea teabags resulted in "furious accusations" and calls for a boycott of the brand, the firm has now revealed.

So it's been a rough weekend.



On Friday, the Chancellor shared a photo of our tea. Politicians do that sometimes (Jeremy Corbyn did it in 2017). We weren't asked or involved - and we said so the same day. Lots of people got angry with us all the same. pic.twitter.com/7uVmKDf7Jd — Yorkshire Tea (@YorkshireTea) February 24, 2020

Yorkshire Tea's Twitter account posted a response to the furore on Monday following what it described as a "rough weekend".

"On Friday, the Chancellor shared a photo of our tea," the company posted.


"Politicians do that sometimes (Jeremy Corbyn did it in 2017). We weren't asked or involved - and we said so the same day. Lots of people got angry with us all the same.

"We've spent the last three days answering furious accusations and boycott calls.

"For some, our tea just being drunk by someone they don't like means it's forever tainted, and they've made sure we know it.

"It's been pretty shocking to see the determination some have had to drag us into a political mudfight.

"But it's been lovely to see others speak up for us - we're so grateful to everyone who's done that in a civil way (and gutted to see some use it as a reason for more nastiness)."

In a plea for more civility on social media, the person staffing Yorkshire Tea's Twitter account added: "Speaking directly now, as the person who's been answering these tweets, I know it could have been much worse.

"It's easier to be on the receiving end of this as a brand than as an individual. There's more emotional distance and I've had a team to support me when it got a bit much.

"But for anyone about to vent their rage online, even to a company - please remember there's a human on the other end of it, and try to be kind."

Responding to Yorkshire Tea's tweets, Conservative MP Dehenna Davidson posted: "This is mad!

"I absolutely love @YorkshireTea. Not because I'm a Tory, but because I'm a human with tastebuds.

"People need to calm down!"

Lord Newby, the leader of the Liberal Democrats' group in the House of Lords, tweeted: "OK, so Rishi Sunak is trying unconvincingly to try and make himself out as down to earth, but it's ridiculous to blame Yorkshire Tea for this.

"People need to get a sense of perspective!"

Mr Sunak is the Tory MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire.