David TC Davies demands meeting with Minister to discuss farming subsidies crisis

Martin Shipton

Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies has demanded a meeting with Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Government’s Rural Affairs Minister, to discuss the controversial proposals to change farming subsidies.

He said: “Farmers are the custodians of the land and put food on our table. It’s absolutely ridiculous that Labour want to potentially force them to forfeit 20% of their land for tree planting and other schemes. Having spoken to concerned farmers I’ve written to the Welsh Government Minister asking her for an urgent meeting to understand why Labour is even considering this policy. I’m also appalled that a senior Labour MS has referred to farmers as ‘cranks’.”

Consultation

Mr Davies has yet to receive a response from Ms Griffiths, who said at the weekend that changes will be made to the proposals following protests. But she wouldn’t go into detail, saying she wanted to hear “all the responses” to the public consultation that runs until March 7.

Under the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme, 10% of agricultural land will be planted with trees and a further 10% will have to provide a quality habitat for wildlife..

Ms Griffiths told BBC Wales: “Officials are already saying to me, ‘there will have to be changes made’ but I want to look at it holistically. We need all those responses. We need all the feedback and we need to look at what can be done.”

The tree planting is aimed at combating climate change.

Posting to X, former Labour Cabinet Minister Alun Davies, the MS for Blaenau Gwent, posted to X a picture of protesting farmers with Prime MinisterRishi Sunak during a visit he made to Wales last week.

Conspiracy theories

The Observer revealed how Mr Sunak had attended a protest alongside a group which has posted conspiracy theories about climate change, and which campaigns against net zero.

The PM appeared alongside farmer Gareth Wyn Jones and stood next to placards displaying the campaign logo “No Farmers No Food”.

Mr Wyn Jones is a leading supporter of the campaign, which was started by James Melville, a GB News pundit and communications consultant.

The No Farmers No Food campaign is anti net-zero and has shared conspiracy theories about climate change action, while Mr Melville has questioned the effects of climate breakdown as well as sharing conspiracy theories about net zero.

The campaign’s manifesto accuses the UK Government of having an “obsession with net zero” and calls for it to end climate measures.

The Twitter/X account for the group shared a conspiracy theory that the World Economic Forum (WEF) intends to force people to eat bugs to reach net zero, retweeting a post from former LBC host Maajid Nawaz that said: “Farmers stand between us and WEF’s desire for us to EAT BUGS, own nothing and be happy.” Melville also shared a post with the conspiracist claim which stated: “Between Bill Gates, the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] & the WEF, we’re going to have no private farmland left. They want you eating bugs.”

Mr Melville has also shared fake news that local councils are forcing people into “climate lockdowns” and added: “Endless project fear. Very similar vibes on climate/net zero given off by the same people who pushed for lockdowns. And similar vilification issued against anyone who dares to question the narrative.”

Craig Bennett, CEO of the Wildlife Trusts, told the Observer that the Prime Minister’s appearance at the protest was “deeply worrying”, adding: “Rather than pandering to extremists who don’t know what they’re talking about, Sunak should be talking to the farmers who are doing their utmost to alleviate biodiversity loss and the impacts of climate change. It would be nice if the Prime Minister paid a bit more attention to science, reason and logic.”