A TRAIL of tractors turned up outside Swindon MPs’ offices as farmers protested about policies they fear will ruin their livelihoods.

Save British Farming led a convoy of around nine of the rural vehicles from Cirencester to Swindon yesterday to demonstrate against the government’s plans and try to change MPs’ minds.

Shoppers stopped and stared at the strange sight of enormous horn-honking tractors filling the Orbital Shopping Centre before squeezing into the narrow Wood Street at around 12.30pm.

 

The procession, adorned with banners saying Save British Food, paused briefly near Mr Tomlinson and Mr Buckland’s offices before starting their journey home.

The campaigners claim that upcoming trade deals will break the manifesto promises about upholding high food, animal welfare and environmental standards which were made by the Conservatives before being elected.

The farmers are worried that the market will be flooded by cheap, low-quality products from overseas which will make farming in Britain unviable, destroy the industry, and damage the climate. 

Save British Farming chair Liz Webster said: “Farmers are quite isolated a lot of the time and are being put through the most awful situation, so it was great to see so much public support, have that love and know they are on our side.

“I don’t think anyone voted to decimate the countryside and our fantastic British food, but that’s what could happen. Most people support British farmers and want more of that food on the shelves, not less.

“Swindon is a great place to have events like this because it’s in the centre of the country and it’s an intensely agricultural area.

“We are now fired up and getting organised. This is just the beginning- there will be more, bigger demonstrations to come so we can elevate our message and hold MPs’ feet to the fire.”

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Farmers Weekly chief reporter Philip Case joined the tractor-cade. He said: “There was a real outpouring of affection towards the farmers as they made their way around Swindon’s streets. People beeped their horns and cheered, children waved and gave us the thumbs-up, it was quite a spectacle.

“Farmers feel unloved and unappreciated by the government and they are very concerned about the future. There is a stark realisation of a difficult few years ahead.

“The start of the month saw their single farm payment reduce up to 25 per cent and many are wondering how they will claw back that deficit.

“They produce first-class products with good welfare and environmental standards but there is a threat of the government pulling the rug from under them and importing cheap lower-standard food, which is incredibly unfair.

“The government is playing a dangerous game - once you tear up the fields, it’ll be very hard to return to that lifestyle and they’ll lose and incredible industry.”

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Justin Tomlinson MP said: "The government has been absolutely clear that it will nto compromise on our high standards on environmental protections, animal welfare and food standards in any free trade negotiation.

"The Agriculture Act recognises the high-quality standards of food production we have here in the UK and this is in demand across the world.

"Furthermore, Brexit has presented us with more opportunities to improve animal welfare standards - including banning live export - which allows us to become a world leader - something we are all rightly proud of."

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