Farmers’ verdict on ten years under Tony Blair

We asked you to tell us what you thought of Tony Blair’s legacy. If you are yet to have your say visit the forums here. But here is a selection of some of the comments we have had so far:
“I think Tony Blair’s legacy will not be a great one. However, I really don’t see it being any different under a Cameron government. I would prefer to see ‘Dave’ in power than Gordon Brown, but can farmers really see things being any better under David Cameron and a Tory government that at present? After all the current agricultural recession began really under the Tories (Total Farm Income has really been falling for years) and things like BSE didn’t really do their cause much good.” –Mud on boots
“As an 18 year old farmer’s son, studying a HND in horticulture, I have to look forward to the following: red tape, red tape, red tape, waste management, SFP, low prices, farming’s reputation in tatters and supermarkets ruling the roost. Blair even removed my pleasures of fox hunting and my chances of having my own farming business are very low.”- Trevor Tyrrell
“Ten years ago we were still on our rented farm with the sale of everything due in a few weeks. Now we own our own place, are awaiting our fifth child and have a hopeful and bright future thanks to hard work and a lot of good luck. The influence of politicians in all this time has been at the margins only – devolution meant F&M was handled much better in Scotland but it also means we now have paralysis in Edinburgh. The changes to the world probably owe more to Bin laden and Al Qaeda than Blair.”- He his-self
“Agriculture is one of the few industries which is 99.9% British owned and through it maintains so much British heritage, but as far as I can see, Blair did nothing apart from smother it. He also did his bit by not making UK agricultural issues forefront of any future plans for the EU. He just drifted along with other EU state’s motions, he was far more concerned with pleasing the townsfolk who have little else to worry about.” – Liam Hyde
“I think farming and rural society in general has suffered its fair share of the arrogance and spin so characteristic of this government. The change of regime at DEFRA last year has certainly been a breath of fresh air compared to the previous five years. But the immense burden of bureaucracy and paperwork has to be the most lasting legacy of this administration.”- Townie
“I think the end result of the last ten years can be summed up in three words – regulation, regulation, regulation.”- Darling