A campaign has been launched to stop the House of Commons buying its cutlery from Vietnam rather than Sheffield.

Andy Evans, the founder of Pure PR, said: “I couldn’t believe my ears when the BBC ran a story saying the House of Commons would replace its silver cutlery with cheap stainless-steel imports to save money.”

He contacted local MPs Angela Smith, Clive Betts and Nick Clegg, who all signed up to the campaign. They were then joined by the Made in Sheffield operation, a number of cutlery manufacturers and Master Cutler David Grey.

The administration committee at the House of Commons was then contacted. After negotiations, it was agreed that Sheffield-based cutlery manufacturers will get the opportunity to tender for the contract.

Mr Evans said: “This was a fine example of ‘team Sheffield’ being galvanised into action, addressing an urgent and high-profile issue and delivering a result.

"Manufacturers, the Made in Sheffield initiative, the Company of Cutlers and local MPs all responded quickly to a situation that would have been — excuse the pun — a stab in the back to the Sheffield companies that make the world’s best knives, forks and spoons.”