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Boris Johnson warned no deal Brexit could lead to farmers blocking roads in protest - live news Boris Johnson warned no deal Brexit could lead to farmers blocking roads in protest - live news
(32 minutes later)
On the Today programme this morning Alun Cairns, the Welsh secretary, stressed that the government was trying to avoid a no deal Brexit. He also said, after Brexit, there would be opportunities for farmers to sell their produce outside the EU. He explained:
We are now looking to the growth that will come from right around the world, 90% of global growth will come from outside of the EU, but we don’t want to close our back on the European market either and that’s why working hard to get a deal is important, but of course there needs to be a shift in attitude and a positive response to the cause that we’re making.
But Minette Batters, president of the National Farmers’ Union, said that the government should be doing more to open up opportunities for farmers. She told the programme:
Government buying standards, government contracts at the moment - those are not based on British sourcing at all and they could be.
We could look at and should be looking right now at opening up market opportunities in China, but that isn’t happening.
There’s also opportunities in the United States that could be happening right now, but it isn’t happening.
The prospect of a no deal Brexit is also spooking the currency markets. As my colleague Jasper Jolly reports on the business live blog, renewed selling this morning has left the pound just a percent away from hitting a 34-year low. There is more on the blog here.
Pound suffers further slide after Boris Johnson takes Brexit hard line – business live
Here is my colleague Rowena Mason’s story on what Welsh farmers are saying to Boris Johnson ahead of his visit to the country later today.
Stop playing Russian roulette with sheep industry, Johnson told
Recently Donald Trump spoke about his first phone call with Boris Johnson after Johnson became prime minister. His comments included this fascinating aside.Recently Donald Trump spoke about his first phone call with Boris Johnson after Johnson became prime minister. His comments included this fascinating aside.
We don’t do the kind of trade we could do with - what some people say is Great Britain, and some people remember - a word you don’t hear too much is England, which is a piece of it.We don’t do the kind of trade we could do with - what some people say is Great Britain, and some people remember - a word you don’t hear too much is England, which is a piece of it.
It would be easy to put this down to simple US confusion about the name of the country that Johnson presides over (understandable confusion - it is not straightforward). But with Brexit posing perhaps the biggest threat to the preservation of the union of the United Kingdom for a century, perhaps Trump was being more prescient than he realised. It is not entirely impossible that, within a generation, England might be all that is left.It would be easy to put this down to simple US confusion about the name of the country that Johnson presides over (understandable confusion - it is not straightforward). But with Brexit posing perhaps the biggest threat to the preservation of the union of the United Kingdom for a century, perhaps Trump was being more prescient than he realised. It is not entirely impossible that, within a generation, England might be all that is left.
In Northern Ireland the prospect of a no deal Brexit is making Irish reunification look more palatable to some than it has done for years, and Theresa May was so alarmed by this that she eventually concluded a no deal Brexit would be unacceptable. In Scotland the SNP believes that the combination of Brexit and a Johnson premiership could make a second independence referendum easier to win than the last one. Wales is a different prospect; unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, it voted leave along with England. And in Wales even the nationalists are wary of independence - Plaid Cymru is more of a home rule party, with independence only a long-term goal. But even in Wales opinion is shifting. Recently the Labour first minister, Mark Drakeford, said that Wales’s support for the union was not unconditional, and only yesterday an opinion poll put Plaid Cymru ahead in voting intention for the Welsh assembly for the first time ever.In Northern Ireland the prospect of a no deal Brexit is making Irish reunification look more palatable to some than it has done for years, and Theresa May was so alarmed by this that she eventually concluded a no deal Brexit would be unacceptable. In Scotland the SNP believes that the combination of Brexit and a Johnson premiership could make a second independence referendum easier to win than the last one. Wales is a different prospect; unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, it voted leave along with England. And in Wales even the nationalists are wary of independence - Plaid Cymru is more of a home rule party, with independence only a long-term goal. But even in Wales opinion is shifting. Recently the Labour first minister, Mark Drakeford, said that Wales’s support for the union was not unconditional, and only yesterday an opinion poll put Plaid Cymru ahead in voting intention for the Welsh assembly for the first time ever.
After his visit to Scotland yesterday, Johnson, who has given himself the title “minister for the union” alongside the title prime minister, is in Wales, and, according to a statement released by Number 10 overnight, he will tell Welsh farmers they have a bright future after Brexit. He will say:After his visit to Scotland yesterday, Johnson, who has given himself the title “minister for the union” alongside the title prime minister, is in Wales, and, according to a statement released by Number 10 overnight, he will tell Welsh farmers they have a bright future after Brexit. He will say:
I will always back Britain’s great farmers and as we leave the EU we need to make sure that Brexit works for them.I will always back Britain’s great farmers and as we leave the EU we need to make sure that Brexit works for them.
That means scrapping the common agricultural policy and signing new trade deals – our amazing food and farming sector will be ready and waiting to continue selling ever more not just here but around the world.That means scrapping the common agricultural policy and signing new trade deals – our amazing food and farming sector will be ready and waiting to continue selling ever more not just here but around the world.
Once we leave the EU on 31 October, we will have a historic opportunity to introduce new schemes to support farming– and we will make sure that farmers gets a better deal.Once we leave the EU on 31 October, we will have a historic opportunity to introduce new schemes to support farming– and we will make sure that farmers gets a better deal.
Brexit presents enormous opportunities for our country and it’s time we looked to the future with pride and optimism.Brexit presents enormous opportunities for our country and it’s time we looked to the future with pride and optimism.
But not everyone is convinced. On the Today programme this morning Helen Roberts, a sheep farmer in Wales and a regional development officer for the National Sheep Association, said a no deal Brexit could lead to farmers in Wales blocking roads in protest. Echoing a comment made by the Farmers Union of Wales, which recently warned that a no deal Brexit could lead to “civil unrest” in the principality, Roberts said a no deal Brexit would be “catastrophic” for sheep farmers. She explained:But not everyone is convinced. On the Today programme this morning Helen Roberts, a sheep farmer in Wales and a regional development officer for the National Sheep Association, said a no deal Brexit could lead to farmers in Wales blocking roads in protest. Echoing a comment made by the Farmers Union of Wales, which recently warned that a no deal Brexit could lead to “civil unrest” in the principality, Roberts said a no deal Brexit would be “catastrophic” for sheep farmers. She explained:
At home we have got a flock of 450 ewes. We’ve just started selling the lambs off them for this year. Come the end of October, that’s when we will still be selling them. And to not have a market [because no deal would lead to the imposition of high tariffs by the EU] to sell them into just means there would be no future.At home we have got a flock of 450 ewes. We’ve just started selling the lambs off them for this year. Come the end of October, that’s when we will still be selling them. And to not have a market [because no deal would lead to the imposition of high tariffs by the EU] to sell them into just means there would be no future.
Asked if she thought farmers would really take the fight onto the streets in the event of a no deal Brexit, Roberts replied:Asked if she thought farmers would really take the fight onto the streets in the event of a no deal Brexit, Roberts replied:
I think they will. I think it is time to stand up for ourselves and be counted. We produce the most wonderful product and we need to be able to sell it and continue farming and looking after the land, like we do best.I think they will. I think it is time to stand up for ourselves and be counted. We produce the most wonderful product and we need to be able to sell it and continue farming and looking after the land, like we do best.
Asked what she meant, and whether she was talking about the possibility of farmers blocking roads with tractors, Roberts said she would expect something like that in the event of a no deal Brexit.Asked what she meant, and whether she was talking about the possibility of farmers blocking roads with tractors, Roberts said she would expect something like that in the event of a no deal Brexit.
Johnson is in Wales this afternoon. And Jeremy Corbyn is also on a visit today. He is due to meet anti-fracking protesters at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site. Otherwise the diary is fairly empty.Johnson is in Wales this afternoon. And Jeremy Corbyn is also on a visit today. He is due to meet anti-fracking protesters at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site. Otherwise the diary is fairly empty.
As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary when I wrap up.As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary when I wrap up.
You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads.You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.
If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter.If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter.