Farming

Former farming minister calls for Brexit

Published

10 years ago

January 26, 2016

Tom Sinclair

Farmers’ futures: Owen Paterson says better out than in

ADDRESSING farmers at the Oxford Farming Conference last week former DEFRA minister Owen Paterson described the upcoming vote on whether Britain stays or leaves the EU as the biggest historic decision since the Reformation.
But he suggested some farmers were suffering from Stockholm Syndrome – where hostages have positive feelings towards their captors – and would rather remain prisoners of the EU than exert British power and influence on the world stage.
The former Secretary of State, now a leading campaigner on the Conservative benches to get Britain out of the EU, rubbished the idea that farm subsidies would be radically cut by the Treasury if Britain left the Union.
He said: “Outside the EU it will be essential to continue a significant level of support from the UK Exchequer and to reassure farmers that payments would be made by the UK Government in the same way that non-EU members like Switzerland, Norway and Iceland currently do.
“In fact the payments made by these countries are actually more generous than those paid by the EU to member states.”
And questioned after his speech on what guarantees there would be that farm subsidies would be a priority for the Treasury, when measured against other budgets for services like health and education, he was dismissive of concerns because it suited his agenda to be so.
He pointed out that farming, food and drink was the biggest manufacturing industry in the UK, contributing £85 billion to the economy, and that every MP in the country would have businesses in their constituencies clamouring for support. He pointed out the EU currently spends £2.9 billion a year in farm subsidy for British farmers and the UK would be saving £9.8 billion in payment to the EU. He suggested there would be the potential to give even greater support to the rural economy in the event of Brexit.
And he said that as the fifth biggest economy in the world, Britain, going it alone, would get a seat at the table in global discussions on trade deals – rather than being represented by the EU as just one 28th of the European Union.
Mr Paterson told CLA President Ross Murray, who posed a question from the floor, that he was “very pleased” Prime Minister David Cameron had allowed Cabinet Ministers to campaign for Britain to leave. “This is not an internal Tory party row,” he said. “We have got support all across the country.” He said the polls and public opinion indicated the likelihood of a vote to leave was growing and a responsible UK government needed to prepare for that eventuality.
And he told NFU president Meurig Raymond that the British public trusted its government to spend money on defence, health, education and other services and it should trust them to keep up support for farming and the rural economy too, given its importance to the economy, the environment and the landscape.
Some commentators have pointed out that Mr Paterson’s record on predicting the future is a little less than stellar. While in charge of DEFRA, he piloted massive cuts to the UK Government’s flood prevention plans: the sort of policy success that led to his removal from the Cabinet in April 2014.
Mr Paterson’s confidence about the ability of Britain’s rural economy to thrive outside the EU was challenged by EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan who warned Britain, with a population of 60 million, was too small to win a place at the world negotiating table settling key issues on global trade.
And he asked farmers, on the second full day of the conference – now in its 70th year and a key talking shop for the agricultural industry – if they could be confident of getting the support they needed from their own government, when Defra’s budget had been cut by 24% since 2010 while the EU’s had fallen by just 3%.
Mr Hogan said he was actively working to get some of the changes Britain wanted to the Common Agricultural Policy – like an end to onerous ‘greening’ rules and the three crop rule. And he said Britain already got its way 75% of the time on EU issues. Mr Hogan also suggested it was sometimes the British government’s own fault that it failed to get a better deal when it came to amending policy.
He said: “The NFU was correct recently when it pointed out that national “gold-plating” of EU legislation imposes an extra burden on British farmers and that, in the words of Deputy Director General Martin Haworth, “some of the most difficult regulations are national regulations.”
Mr Hogan said it was not his job to tell British farmers – or the public at large – how to vote in the in-out referendum when it is held, probably later this year.
But he concluded: “How would Britain with a population of 60 million fare in negotiating with countries like China, with a population 1.3 billion? In the EU it punches at a weight of 500 million, almost twice the size of the US. It could take the UK years to negotiate deals with Korea, Canada and so on – deals the EU has already successfully negotiated.”
Mr Hogan told the conference: “I remain adamant that the stability brought by the Common Agricultural Policy has provided, and is providing, the foundation for economic growth and jobs in rural areas and all along the food chain.”

Farming

‘Poor decision’ New Creamston housing condition overturned

Published

6 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A “POOR DECISION” agricultural worker-only imposed nearly 40 years ago has been removed from a Pembrokeshire property by county planners.

In an application recommended to be approved at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County council’s planning committee, Tim and Cathy Arthur sought permission for the removal of an agricultural worker-only condition at New Creamson, Creamston Road, near Haverfordwest.

An officer report for members said the agricultural condition was imposed when the dwelling was built in 1988/89, with a later certificate of lawful development granted this year after it was proven the site had been occupied for more than 10 years on breach of that condition.

An application for a certificate of lawfulness allows an applicant to stay at a development if they can provide proof of occupancy over a prolonged period.

Speaking at the meeting, agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries of Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd told members the original agriculture-only condition was a poor decision by planners back nearly four decades ago.

“When this application was made in 1988-89 we go back to the Preseli District Council – I was still in school – it was only a 50-acre farm, it should never have been approved as it shouldn’t have been viable.

“The current applicants have owned it for the last 20 years; they’ve tried to grow apples but couldn’t make a go of it and then went in to holiday lets. We can’t enforce redundant conditions from bad decisions made years ago.”

Approval was moved by Cllr Brian Hall and unanimously supported by committee members.

Business

Cwm Deri Vineyard Martletwy holiday lets plans deferred

Published

20 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

CALLS to convert a former vineyard restaurant in rural Pembrokeshire which had been recommended for refusal has been given a breathing space by planners.

In an application recommended for refusal at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Barry Cadogan sought permission for a farm diversification and expansion of an existing holiday operation through the conversion of the redundant former Cwm Deri vineyard production base and restaurant to three holiday lets at Oaklea, Martletwy.

It was recommended for refusal on the grounds of the open countryside location being contrary to planning policy and there was no evidence submitted that the application would not increase foul flows and that nutrient neutrality in the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC would be achieved within this catchment.

An officer report said that, while the scheme was suggested as a form of farm diversification, no detail had been provided in the form of a business case.

Speaking at the meeting, agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries of Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, after the committee had enjoyed a seasonal break for mince pies, said of the recommendation for refusal: “I’m a bit grumpy over this one; the client has done everything right, he has talked with the authority and it’s not in retrospect but has had a negative report from your officers.”

He said the former Cwm Deri vineyard had been a very successful business, with a shop and a restaurant catering for ‘100 covers’ before it closed two three years ago when the original owner relocated to Carmarthenshire.

He said Mr Cadogan then bought the site, farming over 36 acres and running a small campsite of 20 spaces, but didn’t wish to run a café or a wine shop; arguing the “beautiful kitchen” and facilities would easily convert to holiday let use.

He said a “common sense approach” showed a septic tank that could cope with a restaurant of “100 covers” could cope with three holiday lets, describing the nitrates issue as “a red herring”.

He suggested a deferral for further information to be provided by the applicant, adding: “This is a big, missed opportunity if we just kick this out today, there’s a building sitting there not creating any jobs.”

On the ‘open countryside’ argument, he said that while many viewed Martletwy as “a little bit in the sticks” there was already permission for the campsite, and the restaurant, and the Bluestone holiday park and the Wild Lakes water park were roughly a mile or so away.

He said converting the former restaurant would “be an asset to bring it over to tourism,” adding: “We don’t all want to stay in Tenby or the Ty Hotel in Milford Haven.”

While Cllr Nick Neuman felt the nutrients issue could be overcome, Cllr Michael Williams warned the application was “clearly outside policy,” recommending it be refused.

A counter-proposal, by Cllr Tony Wilcox, called for a site visit before any decision was made, the application returning to a future committee; members voting seven to three in favour of that.

Farming

Farmers Union of Wales Warns: Labour’s 5G Expansion Risks Rural Blackspots

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2025

Tom Sinclair

FUW Joins Landowners in Urgent Call to Pause Controversial Telecoms Reforms

THE FUW (Farmers’ Union of Wales) has warned that rural communities face worsening mobile blackspots and farmers risk losing essential income if the Labour Government expands a telecoms policy blamed for stalling Britain’s 5G rollout.

In a letter to Digital Economy Minister Liz Lloyd, the FUW aligns with landowners, investors, and property experts demanding a halt to Part 2 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act 2022. Extending the 2017 Electronic Communications Code (ECC) would “entrench failure,” the group argues, sparking more stalled renewals, site losses, and legal battles just as Wales needs swifter rural connectivity.

The 2017 reforms empowered operators to cut mast rents—often by 90%—from hosts like farmers, councils, and NHS trusts. Far from boosting rollout, they’ve ignited over 1,000 tribunal cases since 2017, versus 33 in the prior three decades. Rural goodwill has eroded, with hosts now eyeing exits.

“Every lost mast isolates households, schools, and businesses,” the FUW states. “No public subsidy can fix this systemic damage.”

A survey of 559 hosts (via NFU, CLA, BPF) shows:

35% considering full withdrawal.
70% of expired lease holders facing operator legal threats.

Landowner Ted Hobbs in New Tredegar shares the pain: “My 1995 Vodafone lease was £3,500 yearly, renewed in 2010 at the same rate. It expired May 2025—now they demand a slash, backed by the Code. This is confiscation, not partnership.”

Labour’s push forward—despite earlier opposition and a critical consultation—ignores these red flags.

FUW President Ian Rickman adds: “Farmers hosted masts in good faith for rural connectivity. Punishing them with rent cuts sabotages Wales. Halt this now, restore trust, and incentivise real progress.”

The coalition urges ministers to reopen dialogue before deepening rural divides. Wales can’t afford more policy missteps.