Gove promises ‘green Brexit’ – but is challenged over impact on farm funds

Devolved administrations will help shape a new farm subsidy scheme after the UK leaves the EU Common Agricultural Policy, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has pledged.

Mr Gove told MPS the Scottish Government “has a role to play in helping us to design the successor regime” that will support farmers after Brexit.

He will today promise to deliver a “green Brexit”, which sets global gold standards on policies ranging from pesticides to wildlife protection and animal welfare.

However, the SNP accused Mr Gove of preparing the ground for major cuts to the generous agricultural subsidies offered by the EU.

The Environment Secretary will say leaving the EU provides a “once-in-a-lifetime 0 Michael Gove vowed to strengthen green policies opportunity” to reform farming, fisheries and land management, and strengthen green policy.

Mr Gove will reassure environmental campaigners amid fears that the government could slash away at the “red tape” of EU regulation once the UK has left.

But Mr Gove is also expected to warn that subsidies “can only be argued for against other competing public goods if the environmental benefits of that spending are clear”.

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson said: “This is an unambiguous Tory threat to continued agricultural support funding after 2022 … Scottish farmers, like others across the UK, rely heavily on farming subsidies and their farm payments must be protected.”

Meanwhile, fishing minister George Eustice told MPS that the devolved nations will have the “opportunity” for more control over their farming and fishing post-brexit.

Mr Eustice said “some kind of UK framework” will be needed to protect the “integrity” of the UK single market, but added that the Westminster government would “give all of the devolved administrations more control than they currently enjoy”.