Farmers protests

[Geoff Parkstone]

Well they are quite good at hedging if it relates to things that separate fields....

[ramAnag]

I never have pretended that. The views I've heard is that historically all governments are anti farmer (no doubt biased views but maybe with a kernel of truth) as all try to attack subsidies

Apologies. I wasn’t inferring that you, personally, have pretended that. Just that looking at the collection of Tory politicians supporting the protest earlier this week might have led someone to believe that all had been well in the world of farming until Ms.Reeves intervention. Separate issues I know, but nothing could be further from the truth.

[MadAmster]

Well they are quite good at hedging if it relates to things that separate fields....

They used to be but that's now been ditched.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Apologies. I wasn’t inferring that you, personally, have pretended that. Just that looking at the collection of Tory politicians supporting the protest earlier this week might have led someone to believe that all had been well in the world of farming until Ms.Reeves intervention. Separate issues I know, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Opposition politicians of any hue will always support those protesting against the government, whether they believe in the cause or not. It's all good photo opportunities and PR

[Trickytreesreds]

Opposition politicians of any hue will always support those protesting against the government, whether they believe in the cause or not. It's all good photo opportunities and PR

Correct- see train drivers/doctors

[ramAnag]

Correct- see train drivers/doctors

You seem to be missing the point. Having supported the train drivers and junior doctors when in opposition Labour have largely resolved those two problems since coming to power.
Where the farmers are concerned, the Tories (and Farage) would do well to remember that it takes more than wearing wellies, a wax jacket and a flat cap in Westminster to show real support for farmers. Plenty were abandoning farming post Brexit under the Tories and the farmers themselves didn’t want Farage to speak last week.

Personally I wasn’t sure what to think about the farmers’ issues prior to this week but watching Clarkson’s indignant spluttering having been taken down a peg or two by Victoria Derbyshire, things became clearer.

Put very simply, it seems RR is ending a loophole which won’t damage ordinary farmers at all but will end the practice of very wealthy folk - Clarkson and Dyson amongst them - buying up farm land as a tax break.

[Andy_Faber]

Put very simply, it seems RR is ending a loophole which won?t damage ordinary farmers at all but will end the practice of very wealthy folk - Clarkson and Dyson amongst them - buying up farm land as a tax break.

The other, I believe more plausible view, is that Reeves has used this device as a tool of class war to deprive the well to do of their tax benefits and either not realised, or more likely not be bothered, that genuine in-the-family middle sized farmers would be collateral damage. IMO she?s as heartless as she sounds

[ramAnag]

The other, I believe more plausible view, is that Reeves has used this device as a tool of class war to deprive the well to do of their tax benefits and either not realised, or more likely not be bothered, that genuine in-the-family middle sized farmers would be collateral damage. IMO she?s as heartless as she sounds

Is that more plausible? I share your concern for ‘family middle sized farmers’ but I don?t think it’s heartless to treat the likes of Clarkson and Dyson in the same way as everyone else. I believe the former owns one thousand acres while Dyson has an astonishing 33,000. It’s not class war to close that loophole.

[Andy_Faber]

Is that more plausible? I share your concern for ?family middle sized farmers? but I don?t think it?s heartless to treat the likes of Clarkson and Dyson in the same way as everyone else. I believe the former owns one thousand acres while Dyson has an astonishing 33,000. It?s not class war to close that loophole.

But it?s either class war or rank incompetence to chase the Dysons and Clarksons for (don?t forget, legal) massive gains but in such a crude way that proper farmers are stitched up, and relatively more severely. I can think of less crude/heartless methods so it shouldn?t be beyond the wit of the country?s most prominent ?economist? to do so.I think that, like you, she?s focussed on the personalities involved not the issue at hand

[ramAnag]

But it?s either class war or rank incompetence to chase the Dysons and Clarksons for (don?t forget, legal) massive gains but in such a crude way that proper farmers are stitched up, and relatively more severely. I can think of less crude/heartless methods so it shouldn?t be beyond the wit of the country?s most prominent ?economist? to do so.I think that, like you, she?s focussed on the personalities involved not the issue at hand

I’m not focussed on the personalities involved. They just happen to be good examples and one of them made himself particularly ‘public’ last week before coming somewhat unstuck and the whole point surely is that it now seems extremely debatable that proper farmers are being ‘stitched up’, as you put it.