The farmer revolt against globalist and green
agenda policies descended upon London on Monday as a tractor convoy of
British farmers flooded into Parliament Square to pressure the
government ahead of the upcoming general election, claiming they were
“betrayed” by the Tories after Brexit. Listen To Story
Following months of tractor protests across Europe,
farmers brought their frustrations to the streets of central London,
flying Union Jack flags and signs with messages reading “Back British
Farmers” and “No farmers, no food, no future”.
Like their counterparts on the continent, many of the farmers
gathered outside Parliament expressed concerns over free trade deals —
which Tory governments have been signing following the departure from
the European Union — with countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan,
Mexico, and New Zealand, among others.
British farmers argue that while they are held to a very high
standard, in terms of labour, environment, and health regulations, the
imported agricultural products can be produced in countries with lower
standards, meaning that the food can be produced at a cheaper cost and
undercut the prices of local produce.
Additionally, British farmers claim that they have
been further undercut by the government’s decision to allow European
farmers access to UK markets despite their comparatively higher level of
government subsidies and reliance on cheap migrant labour.
To add insult to injury, foreign food is currently allowed to be sold
in UK supermarkets with the British flag so long as the product is
packaged in the country, a practice that local farmers say hurts their
ability to differentiate themselves from their foreign competitors.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 25: Farmers holding banners and placards and
driving tractors gather at Parliament Square during a demonstration
organised by Save British Farming against UK food policy, substandard
imports and stricter food labelling regulations, as they call for the
government to act to save British farming, in central London, United
Kingdom on March 25, 2024. (Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via
Getty Images)
Speaking from the protest, the founder of Save British Farming, Liz Webster told The Telegraph that UK farmers are “completely and utterly disadvantaged”.
“In 2019, this Government was elected with a mandate to uphold our
standards and deliver a ready-made deal with the EU which would see
British agriculture boom,” she said. “It is now entirely obvious that
they have totally betrayed us all.
“Polling shows that the public back British farming and food and want
to maintain our high food standards and support local producers. We
need a radical change of policy and an urgent exit from these appalling
trade deals, which will decimate British food.”
Farmers protest shuts down Parliament Square! pic.twitter.com/65uY9BsGPh
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 25, 2024
The farmers were joined in Parliament Square by Nigel Farage, who remarked
on his GB News programme on Monday evening: “I have to say unlike the
scenes that we saw in Brussels and Paris, these were a pretty
law-abiding bunch, as you would pretty much expect from British farmers.
But don’t misunderstand their behaviour for the passion that they feel…
they’re a pretty angry group.”
The Brexiteer said that while the UK has reclaimed control over its
farming policies from Brussels, it has squandered the opportunity by
embarking on Net Zero green policies, which have artificially inflated
the cost of energy and fossil fuel-based fertilisers necessary for much
modern farming.
Others have noted that much of the so-called farming subsidies are
actually being directed towards paying farmers not to farm, but rather
to re-establish natural habitats, thereby reducing the money actually
being funnelled into the actual process of productive, food-bearing
farming.
Great Reset Fightback: Farmers Spray Police With Liquid Manure Outside EU HQhttps://t.co/4AeRa5KE77
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 26, 2024
The protest in London came as green agenda advocates
in the European Union suffered a major setback, with the Green New
Deal’s Nature Restoration plan, which once was widely expected to sail
through a rubber stamp process, was indefinitely postponed on Monday in the wake of farmer rage towards Brussels.
The plan would have required member states by 2030 to restore at
least 20 per cent of the EU’s land and sea areas deemed by Eurocrats
necessary to maintain “biodiversity”. This was a major issue in the
Netherlands, where the Dutch government sought to forcibly buy out
farmers to comply with the protected habitats laid out in the EU’s
Natura 2000 framework.
The decision to shelve the plan came just days after Brussels
backtracked on allowing Ukrainian farmers complete free access to
European markets, adding prevention measures against market flooding for
some staple foods so as to protect local farmers. The willingness by
Brussels to bend to the demands of farmers comes in no small part
because of the looming European Parliament elections in June.
British farmers are similarly hoping to make their cause a key issue
in the general election in the UK, which is expected to be held later
this year. The founder of Kent Fairness for Farmers, Jeff Gibson said:
“It’s so important that our message about substandard imports, dishonest
labelling and concerns for food security is heard. With an election
looming, we want to ensure the next incoming government takes up our
cause.”
Brussels Blinks First: European Union Scraps Key Elements of Green Agenda Amid Standoff with Farmershttps://t.co/Ew3Ng6RJdE
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 6, 2024
Source: Breitbart
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Author: Planet Today
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