NFUS ready to step up campaign

NFU Scotland yesterday said that, with the dust now beginning to settle on the general election, it is ready to “set up camp at Westminster” to ensure the Brexit transition is as smooth as possible for the industry.

The union’s political affairs manager Clare Slipper said that the organisation had already kickstarted an extensive programme of engagement with country’s intake of MPS and the new UK government, to address the pressing issue of Brexit, as well as climate change, animal welfare, opportunities for new entrants and the standing of food producers’ in the supply chain.

“As well as organising meetings with Scottish MPS, we are also seeking early engagement with key appointments within the government,” said Slipper.

“Having looked at the policies within the Conservatives’ manifesto lineby-line, there are areas of strength and opportunity: and other areas that our members will find more challenging.

“Our role is to bridge that gap.”

Union president Andrew Mccornick said that with a vote set for the end of this week on the withdrawal bill, it now looked inevitable that the UK would leave the EU at the end of January.

However on the new Prime Minister’s ambition to end the transition period with a trade deal by next December, he said that he was aware of no trade deal ever being finalised with the EU over a period of just 11 months – let alone one which would be ‘putting barriers up rather than taking them down’:

“But make no mistake we’ll be knocking on doors straight away and lobbying hard to ensure that the industry’s high standards are recognised and accounted for in the trade deal discussions which lie ahead,” said Mccornick.