Politics

Not all politicians have the gumption to take the hard decisions required to meet the Governments net zero by 2050 target, a National Trust chief has warned.

The farming industry has been urged to ‘keep the pressure on’ Government to negotiate trade deals which work for UK agriculture, amid concerns about the new Defra Secretary’s stance.

New Farming Minister Mark Spencer has confirmed Defra is considering delinking Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments early as part of its review of agricultural policies.

The Welsh Government has unveiled an update to its heavily criticised water regulations, after admitting opposition to the plan had ‘introduced a level of uncertainty’.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman could be set to clash with the Prime Minister and Defra colleagues after saying she would clampdown on the UK’s reliance on seasonal workers.

The chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, Sir Robert Goodwill, has said he intends to look at the possibility of maintaining an element of direct support for ‘small’ farmers.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer has said he will push for small abattoirs to be able to benefit from earned recognition in order to reduce veterinary presence.

MPs have received assurances that the agricultural policy review being carried out by Defras new ministerial team will tweak the Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme, not revolutionise it.

MPs have received assurances that the agricultural policy review being carried out by Defra’s new ministerial team will ‘tweak’ the Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme, not ‘revolutionise’ it.

Back in the mid-1990s, when I worked as a volunteer for the National Commission on Women’s Affairs at Government House in Bangkok, I went through two Prime Ministers in two years. That was expected in a clearly unstable political system.