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Ben Gill faces leadership challenge

- 10 December 1999
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10 December 1999



Ben Gill faces leadership challenge

By Johann Tasker

BEN GILL, president of the National Farmers Union, faces a leadership challenge following his handling of the French beef saga and the crisis in agriculture.

Mr Gills deputy, Tony Pexton, has accepted a nomination to run for president in the NFU elections next February, Farmers Weekly can reveal.

Mr Pexton, who has served four terms as NFU deputy president, was away from his East Yorkshire farm on Friday (10 December), and unable to comment.

But another high-profile candidate has emerged in the leadership battle amid mounting pressure on Mr Gill after France again refused to lift its ban on British beef.

Militant farmers leader Richard Haddock has also been nominated as a candidate, although it is unclear whether he will run for president or a lesser role.

Arthur Webb, the Gloucestershire farmer who nominated Mr Haddock to stand for election, said he wanted a change at the top of the union.

“Weve had people who are empty vessels in the past but Mr Haddock certainly doesnt fall into that category,” said Mr Webb.

Mr Haddock, NFU county chairman for Devon and an outspoken critic of NFU headquarters, believes the unions hierarchy is out of touch with members.

He almost stood as a candidate for deputy-president during elections last year, but withdrew after deciding his nomination would cause a rift within the union.

Since then, however, things have changed and a substantial number of NFU members are becoming increasing frustrated with their leaders in London.

Many farmers are also angry that the NFU failed to dissuade the government from switching food production subsidies towards conservation.

Mr Haddocks re-nomination comes just months after farmers in south-west England threatened to leave the NFU unless the union started taking a harder line.

The threat of a split came in April after Mr Gill made what was described as an insulting speech to cattle and sheep producers at Exeter livestock market.

Mr Gill told listeners that marketing produce and sticking together was
the answer to producers problems. But some farmers felt they were being lectured.

He was again criticised by Mr Haddock in September after the NFU considered cancelling a mass protest at the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth.

The march eventually went ahead, although it was Mr Haddock, rather than Mr Gill, who negotiated with police on behalf of the demonstrators.

But Mr Gills supporters maintain it is not his fault that farming is in a such a mess and that the French ban on British beef still hasnt been lifted.

Barbara Kettleworth, who farms with her husband Rodney at Constable Burton, North Yorkshire, said Mr Gill was grappling with an anti-farming government.

“Its not Ben Gills fault that farming is going through a crisis,” she said.

“We put the blame solely on this silly government which is anti-countryside and especially anti-farming.”

Mr Haddock will decide whether to accept his nomination after he returns from holiday in Tenerife this weekend, said a spokeswoman for Devon NFU.


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