I woke this morning to the sound of thunder. Whereas Aristotle may have thought that this was the sound of clouds colliding I wonder whether it is the sound of disagreements in the EU over the future funding of CAP. Or maybe Peter Kendall is still trying to tell Charles Clover how much he enjoyed Charles’s article at the weekend?
We may find out tomorrow what the proposed EU Budget looks like.
It’s good to see the National Trust’s Fiona Reynolds quoted in the Telegraph as saying that ‘David Cameron has 24 hours to prevent an environmental disaster’ and that ‘without the funding the Government’s environmental ambitions to restore wildlife and habitats would remain a pipe dream’.
And, I see, the Wildlife Trusts are taking a very similar line to the RSPB and the National Trust. Good for them.
Does David Cameron have any environmental ambitions though, we wonder? The Prime Minister has done little to demonstrate the slightest interest in the natural world since he came into office and the actions of the coalition government in cutting Defra’s budget very hard in the Comprehensive Spending Review speak louder than his fast-disappearing-over-the-horizon green words of wanting to lead the ‘greenest government ever‘.
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Thanks for your thoughts on this Mark (and hello, I am a new commenter!)
I’ve emailed the president of the commision, signed up to the RSPB campaign and tweeted number 10. Still feel like I have to try and do more, this feels like an important moment. Any suggestions?!
Chris – welcome! Sounds like you’ve done your bit for now. Let’s wait and see whether the announcement over the next couple of days is good or bad – if bad there’ll be more to do. I guess if you were feeling mischievous you could ask the NFU what they are saying – in fact, that’s not a bad idea at all…
It seems to be emerging that a rational debate will not happen in this policy area?
Fact – to be green as a Govenment you have to have serious money in cash. Fact -the UK is broke [personal debt guesstimated at £27000 per credit card]. Fact – farmers cannot survive without support, because food is too cheap. Fact – all the CAP pundits Avery, Clover, et al are long on criticism and well light on remedy. Fact – Dame Fiona ploughs a similar furrow – someone else will pay whilst the National Trust sails on? Dame Fiona knows first hand the reality of the Trust tenant’s position now and without support – disaster? Yet Dame Fiona still argues for extra support from where might one ask? Answer anywhere but not from the NT budget? I despair when will those, who understand, be realistic about the facts?
At the risk of promoting the competition, Jonathon Porritt gives a very good analysis of the ‘greenest Government ever’ one year on on his website – worth a read.
On the (real) poverty of many farmers – before looking to the Government, look again at the business – farmers incomes are declining but the food industry powers on. A 5% shift of the value of the industry at point of sale back to farmers would transform British agriculture but what chance is there ? None at all – they are far too deep into racking up ever bigger profits and dividends, capitalism on the loose, and using a near monopoly position to drive down farm gate prices. Its not always the Government’s fault.