Where have I heard this before? Ah yes! I remember, it was comrade Stalin's speech to the Chechens just prior to the forcible deportation to Siberia of the entire nation. 

We listen to you, Benn tells British farmers

for try as you might you never can harm us

We're New Labour you see and so no one is better

the unions support us and we're funded by PETA.

Peter,

       His Degree in Eastern European Studies has come in to play at his time as an Agricultural Minister.

I think it's irrelevant what he says. He'll be gone in May.

What does his opposite number say ? This to me is more important ! By the way, who is his opposite number ?

since labour came to power in 1997, labour have been trying to crow bar farmers out of farming, one way or another.

They listen, but don't understand.  They talk, but say nothing useful.  They act, because they need to produce so much new legislation each year, but most of their actions are unhelpful and some are definitely harmful.

Heard a good joke on the radio this evening:

What's the difference between a snow man and Gordon Brown?

Nothing - they'll both be gone by summer!

jacobus, i wouldnt be too sure. everytime the tories open their mouths about cuts, labour claws back another couple of points. i dont think the tories want to win.

 

welshnwilling:

By the way, who is his opposite number ?

shadow minister for the Cons is Nick Herbert methinks...

the greenth:

shadow minister for the Cons is Nick Herbert methinks...

 

Is he any better ?

welshnwilling:

Is he any better ?

 

I suppose it depends on where your poltics lie. He has a rural constituency and isn't a vegetarian, so most people in the industry are probably on his side from that alone. The Conservatives' pro-badger cull and fox hunting stance has probably won over the rest.

I wonder how likely it'll be that he'd still have the DEFRA post if they won the election though...

To be fair the Lib Dems have said similar things to the Tories too and their farming and environment man, Tim Farron, seems to know his stuff from what I've heard.

i hope the tories win, then scottish independence  will be assured.

 

caroline stocks:

I suppose it depends on where your poltics lie.

I know what you mean, but somehow I think that it all depends on where your heart lies. It is certainly my observation that in matters politic, the heart is more important than the head. When the analysing and talking has ended and a judgement has to be made, it is the heart that decides.

I go with the Tories not because of their politics, but because I believe their heart is more inclined the way I am inclined.

Politics is about maximising the possibilities of getting what your heart wants in the circumstances of the time. In my view therefore, it is crucial to know where a politician's heart is rather than believing the words he uses or the alignments he has made. Brown's heart, and Benn's heart are not in the countryside in the sense that most farmers hearts are in the countryside.

 

No you don't listen, you never have. You don't care either. You don't know what you are doing wrong even now. It is way past too late for you to expect a fair hearing from us, we have suffered too much for too long. Just go. The future looks much brighter without you. Goodness knows what we will get next but I am always optimistic.

I thought ag. policy in Scotland was decided by the Scots, He his-self.