New speaker found for Cutlers’ Feast in Sheffield

David Lidington CBE MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Company of Cutlers made the announcement days before the prestigious event at the Cutlers’ Hall on Thursday May 23.

Mr Lidington is Prime Minister Theresa May’s deputy and is seen as a Remainer. He is reported as saying that holding another Brexit vote would be “perfectly practical” as a way out of the deadlock gripping political parties.

Last week a spokesman for the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire confirmed Gavin Williamson would not be coming and his replacement - Penny Mordaunt - had indicated that she couldn’t come either.

But they still had “irons in the fire.”

The 383rd Feast is the only ‘white tie’ event in the North. It is billed as the most important business dinner outside London.

Mr Williamson, the ex-secretary of state for defence, was announced as the principal speaker in March. He was summarily sacked earlier this month following an inquiry into an unprecedented leak from the National Security Council over Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G network.

He “strenuously” denied being responsible.

The Cutlers' Feast is as old as the Company, which was founded in 1624 and today represents manufacturers in Sheffield City Region.