The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Ewing glad to see pledge on support until 2022
POLITICS: Rural Secretary claims credit for Conservatives’ new commitment
Scotland’s Rural Secretary, Fergus Ewing, yesterday claimed the credit for forcing the Conservatives to commit to supporting the farming industry until 2022.
Speaking in Edinburgh just hours after the launch of the SNP manifesto in Perth, Mr Ewing said his “eyeballing” of former Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom and Farming Minister George Eustice and insisting that farmers needed clarity over long-term support had led to the Tories’ new commitment.
“The UK Government has gradually provided bits of assurances,” he said.
“First of all it was broadly support (for the industry) up until Brexit, which is April 2019. Then it was extended to include EU projects committed but not deployed until after Brexit.
“Now in the Tory manifesto I notice they’re saying funding will continue at EU levels until the end of the next parliamentary term, which takes us, I think, to 2022.
“I have eyeballed Andrea Leadsom and I’ve met with George Eustice numerous times, and I put the point again and again that we needed longer-term funding clarity.
“Farmers and fishermen and environmental programmes – everyone needs to know where they stand.
“Otherwise farmers would go over a financial cliff.
“So we need to claim some credit that the Tories appear to have recognised there is need for clarity. I’m not aware of Labour saying much on this at all.”
Mr Ewing claimed it was an example of the SNP being the “real” opposition.
“I’ve been stating the case I’m hearing day in, day out from ordinary farmers who say they’re struggling to make a living without basic payments.
“I’m pleased that in a small way the SNP has altered the policy of the party that’s likely to be in government shortly.”
Mr Ewing insisted he would continue to press for an even longer-term funding commitment, of at least five years post-Brexit.
The SNP’s manifesto for rural Scotland includes a pledge to fight to stay in the single market to protect the food and drink industry and a demand for a full share of EU Cap funding for farming,
Speaking in Perth, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “SNP MPs will make sure the UK Government guarantees to match the current share of EU funding beyond Brexit and repays farmers their missing millions, including the £160 million ‘convergence uplift’ Scottish farmers have been shortchanged on.”