Archive Article: 2000/09/15
WHAT YOU SAY
Farmers and other people with agricultural interests are divided over whether there should be more protests. Most readers e-mailing FWi this week backed the idea, but others voiced fears that further demonstrations could alienate the public. Here is a selection of their comments:
Giving up is a waste
"The protests should definitely continue… If [the protesters give up] now, then the past week has been a waste of time… Besides, what other choice have we got? Nothing else we do ever seems to get any reaction."
Malcolm Burfitt, Berkshire
Red diesel is cheap anyway
"I cannot understand what the protests have to do with farmers as we dont pay tax on red diesel, and I fear it has just drawn public attention to this generous position which we enjoy."
Richard Stow
Blair out of step with country
"The government seems to be making a huge play of telling us how awful it is that this action may affect the emergency services, but in fact they are the only people who have destroyed them. The ordinary members of the public fully support this action and happy for it to continue until the government sees sense."
Gail Thomas
Ending protests no loss of face
"There is every justification for this action, but care must be taken not to cut off our noses to spite our faces by losing the public confidence there has been until now… There would be no loss of face to stop blockades now for the good of the whole country, just reminding Mr Blair that action could be taken again if the government does not respond within a time limit."
Rosemary Jones, Carmarthen
NFU should learn from protests
"The NFU should have learned by now that the softly, softly approach does not have any impact on the actions of this anti-farming government. Sadly, doing nothing is not an option for the future of our industry."
Robert Graham, Northumberland
Back the protesters
"We have a 300 beef fattening unit and run plant hire and our own haulage lorry. We totally back the protesters all the way. If this country goes down the way it is going, there will be no small business left."
Glynn Jackman, Devon