Lib Dems will have influence at Defra - Farron

Despite the ‘snub’, the Lib Dems say they will still have considerable influence on agricultural decisions.

Tim Farron, Lib Dem agricultural spokesman and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said he ‘would have preferred a Lib Dem in a Defra office’, but said his party’s role was still ‘significant’.

“A lot of the coalition document is ours,” he said, listing the supermarket ombudsman, action to tackle TB, the ‘Home on the Farm’ affordable home scheme and a thorough examination of Government quangos as Liberal Democrat policies.

He said Chris Huhne was Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change – a department which would have a major impact on farmers.

While there was no Ministerial role in Defra, he said his party would still ‘have a governing role’.

“We are in Government, so our agricultural team will meet formally with the Defra team.

“Further to that I have always got on very well with Jim Paice, and I know his door will be open to us. It is really important we share decisions, but the most important thing will be to get fair trade for British farmers,” he said.

He will resist pressure from the Conservatives to abolish direct ‘Pillar One’ payments when CAP is reformed.

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