The Conservative Party has revealed the potential fate of farmers in a post-Brexit Britain.
The Prime Minister has set out his Brexit roadmap, explaining how a Conservative majority government will unleash the benefits of getting Brexit done.
In a keynote speech alongside former Vote Leave campaigners Michael Gove and Gisela Stuart, Mr Johnson will set out a bold and ambitious plan to make sure ‘that people get the change that they voted for three years ago’.
In this speech, they will make a number of key pledges around protecting British businesses and jobs once we leave the EU by introducing a new state aid regime which they claim will: “make it faster and easier for the Government to intervene and to protect jobs when an industry is in trouble.”
The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “People voted to take back control – and we want to deliver that change. One of the crucial ways we will do that is by improving our rules so that we can back British businesses and unleash their true potential.”
They also plan to change the Government’s public procurement policy so that it benefits local economy; currently the policy is subject to the EU treaty principles and focuses on trade between EU member countries.
It is assumed that the new policy will focus more on local businesses in the UK and improve employment in local areas where such businesses are of importance.
There will also be more of a focus on rural businesses and suppliers, especially farmers by pledging that the UK will leave the common agricultural policy (CAP).
CAP is the EU’s common policy to support farmers and ensure a stable supply of affordable food while also making sure farmers earn a reasonable living wage.
By leaving CAP the Government would be responsible for the state funding of farmers in the UK, however, they would have to divide this budget between other services such as the NHS, which has left some farmers concerned about how the money will be distributed.
The Country Land and Business Association will most likely support the announcement as it could provide certainty for farmers across the country.
CLA president Mark Bridgeman said: “It should be seen as a first step towards the long-term security we have been calling for since the EU referendum.”
Mr Gove claimed: “No other party is making this promise and no other country is offering such certainty for its farmers.”
The Conservative Party also claim that ‘restrictions within the CAP do not allow the UK Government to properly target funding towards measures which would improve prosperity and security for our farmers or to tackle the challenges facing our environment.’
They will deliver more funding to farmers via the Farming Bill which aims to bring major reforms to the agricultural industry and subsides farmers based on their work output, rather than a standard subsidiary for everyone which is currently in place.
They claim this new system will match the current annual budget available to farmers in every year of the next Parliament.
The party also claims in a press release that: “Over the course of 2020, we will consider ways of encouraging the public sector to buy British so as to support British farmers and create a vibrant market for produce made within the UK.
“Public sector procurement bodies will still look to get best value for money in their purchases and continue to provide high quality meals while not increasing prices.”
Labour has focused more on the environmental side of the agricultural industry and has claimed it will reject any trade agreement that undermines their stance on protecting the environment.
The Liberal Democrats want to redirect farm support towards restoring nature but also support reforming CAP.
