Constitutional row over control of post-brexit farm subsidies heats up

Scottish Conservative MPS have clashed with the Scottish Government’s rural economy secretary in a testy Westminster committee hearing on legislation that will govern agriculture rules and subsidies after Brexit.

Tory MPS on the Scottish affairs committee told Fergus Ewing that he was leaving farmers in limbo by refusing to let the UK legislate for Scotland on agriculture, saying rural businesses were “begging for certainty”.

But he hit back, claiming that Tories were “scaremongering” by suggesting a gap in the stat- 0 Fergus Ewing accused Tory MPS of ‘scaremongering’

ute book could see farmers miss out on vital subsidies. And MPS were warned against any Westminster attempt to dictate Scottish subsidies. “I would contend with a lot of vigour that agriculture is currently devolved and it should stay devolved,” said Jonnie Hall, the National Farmer’s Union Scotland director of policy, adding that a UK minister “should not have unilateral power” over Scottish farm subsidies.

Mr Hall warned that cutting EU funding for ‘least favoured’ agricultural land, a move hinted at by Environment Secretary Michael Gove, would be “extremely detrimental” to Scottish agriculture. Scottish Crofting Federation chair Russell Smith echoed the warning, telling MPS: “Without that, we’d stop [farming].”