Prime Minister Theresa May has revealed her favourite family scone recipe in an interview with the Sunday Times.

The interview discussed a broad range of subjects from her plans for the UK’s exit from the EU, her love of cooking and The Great British Bake Off.

She suggested that using “1.5oz butter or margarine” was one of the four key ingredients to make the baked treat.

However, her suggestion has riled the industry, with the likes of award-winning baker Dan Lepard and The Guardian food writer Felicity Cloake making their thoughts known.

“I am always alarmed by the phrase ‘butter or margarine’, which turns your scone either nice or nasty. Margarine helps the multinationals; not sure there’s ‘Devonshire margarine’ out there,” Lepard told the Guardian.

He added: “There is no sense of generosity or helpfulness in May’s recipe.”

Guardian writer Cloake believed that a lack of care was apparent in the recipe and anyone following it would end up with scones “as dry as dust”.

“I guess she doesn’t have much time for baking. The first thing that strikes me is the incredibly parsimonious ratio of fat and flour – as one might expect from an austerity fan – and the use of margarine.”

Last month, chairman of Action on Sugar Graham MacGregor urged Theresa May to rethink her “pathetic” childhood obesity plans.