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Michael Gove: farmers must prove they deserve subsidies after Brexit Michael Gove: farmers must prove they deserve subsidies after Brexit
(35 minutes later)
Farmers must prove they deserve future subsidies after the UK leaves the European Union, Michael Gove will say in his first speech since returning to the cabinet.Farmers must prove they deserve future subsidies after the UK leaves the European Union, Michael Gove will say in his first speech since returning to the cabinet.
The environment secretary will pledge to deliver a “green Brexit”, although critics have pointed out that the Queen’s speech contained no planned environmental legislation.The environment secretary will pledge to deliver a “green Brexit”, although critics have pointed out that the Queen’s speech contained no planned environmental legislation.
Gove will describe himself as an environmentalist in his speech in Woking, Surrey, on Friday morning. “Leaving the EU gives us a once in a lifetime opportunity to reform how we care for our land, our rivers and our seas, how we recast our ambition for our country’s environment, and the planet,” he will say. “In short, it means delivering a green Brexit.” Gove will describe himself as an environmentalist in his speech in Woking, Surrey on Friday morning. “Leaving the EU gives us a once in a lifetime opportunity to reform how we care for our land, our rivers and our seas, how we recast our ambition for our country’s environment, and the planet,” he will say. “In short, it means delivering a green Brexit.”
In the speech, Gove is expected to criticise the common agricultural policy, which he will say “puts resources in the hands of the already wealthy, and encourages patterns of land use which are wasteful of natural resources”.In the speech, Gove is expected to criticise the common agricultural policy, which he will say “puts resources in the hands of the already wealthy, and encourages patterns of land use which are wasteful of natural resources”.
The government has promised to keep overall subsidies to farmers at the same level until 2022, but Gove will say the subsidies will have to be earned.The government has promised to keep overall subsidies to farmers at the same level until 2022, but Gove will say the subsidies will have to be earned.
“There are very good reasons why we should provide support for agriculture,” he will say. “Seventy per cent of our land is farmed – beautiful landscape has not happened by accident but has been actively managed.”“There are very good reasons why we should provide support for agriculture,” he will say. “Seventy per cent of our land is farmed – beautiful landscape has not happened by accident but has been actively managed.”
However, Gove will also say that subsidies must benefit the environment: “I want to ensure we go on generously supporting farmers for many more years to come. But that support can only be argued for against other competing public goods if the environmental benefits of that spending are clear.”However, Gove will also say that subsidies must benefit the environment: “I want to ensure we go on generously supporting farmers for many more years to come. But that support can only be argued for against other competing public goods if the environmental benefits of that spending are clear.”
Stewart Stevenson, an MSP for the Scottish National party and a member of Holyrood’s rural economy committee, called the speech “an unambiguous Tory threat to continued agricultural support funding after 2022 – that is the stark post-Brexit reality which the UK government is now proposing for our rural communities”. Stewart Stevenson, an MSP for the Scottish National party and a member of Holyrood’s rural economy committee, said the speech was “an unambiguous Tory threat to continued agricultural support funding after 2022 – that is the stark post-Brexit reality which the UK government is now proposing for our rural communities”.
Gove will also use the speech to lay down a marker for his views on climate change. “We’ve seen climate change threaten both fragile natural habitats and developing human societies, we’ve allowed extractive and exploitative political systems to lay waste to natural resources and we’ve placed species of plants and animals in new and mortal danger while gambling with the future health of the whole world,” he will say.Gove will also use the speech to lay down a marker for his views on climate change. “We’ve seen climate change threaten both fragile natural habitats and developing human societies, we’ve allowed extractive and exploitative political systems to lay waste to natural resources and we’ve placed species of plants and animals in new and mortal danger while gambling with the future health of the whole world,” he will say.
“I am an environmentalist first because I care about the fate of fellow animals, I draw inspiration from nature and I believe we need beauty in our lives as much as we need food and shelter.”“I am an environmentalist first because I care about the fate of fellow animals, I draw inspiration from nature and I believe we need beauty in our lives as much as we need food and shelter.”
Caroline Lucas, the Green party co-leader, expressed scepticism at Gove’s environmentalist credentials. “Gove’s overture to the environment might make him sound like a keen defender of nature but his government’s actions suggest that protecting our natural world is a long way from the top of their priority list,” she said.Caroline Lucas, the Green party co-leader, expressed scepticism at Gove’s environmentalist credentials. “Gove’s overture to the environment might make him sound like a keen defender of nature but his government’s actions suggest that protecting our natural world is a long way from the top of their priority list,” she said.
“There is an environment-shaped hole in the government’s Brexit plans. They failed to announce any kind of environmental protection bill in the Queen’s speech, and we still don’t know how they will transfer enforcement powers from EU institutions to the UK.”“There is an environment-shaped hole in the government’s Brexit plans. They failed to announce any kind of environmental protection bill in the Queen’s speech, and we still don’t know how they will transfer enforcement powers from EU institutions to the UK.”