Reform accused of ‘madness’ after Senedd candidate proposes deregulation of food production

Martin Shipton

A Reform UK lead candidate has been strongly criticised after making a video in which she suggests that food production in Wales is over-regulated and should be loosened.

Cristiana Emsley, a migrant from Romania, is heading Reform’s list of candidates in the Fflint Wrecsam constituency.

Wearing wellies and appearing in proximity to sheep and a tractor on a farm in north Wales, Ms Emsley speaks to the camera, initially introducing herself in Welsh and making the point that she is on a farm rather than in an office.

While discarding official-looking forms, she then states: “Apparently farming policy is best designed in an office with a form, and another form and just for fun a third form. But here, on a real farm in north Wales, things are a little bit different.

“Farmers want less of it. We keep talking about the future of farming, but there will be no future if the younger generation do not join the sector. And they are not going to as long as it remains over-regulated and unprofitable.

“And how about the older generation? They can’t even remain on their land without a planning battle. It would be funny if it wasn’t so serious.

“Let’s get Plaid and Labour out. Vote Reform.”

A political source sent Nation.Cymru a link to Ms Emsleys’s video, together with a comment that said: “Imagine food quality if legislation was swept away.”

Food standards

Labour’s Alun Davies, who represented Blaenau Gwent and is now seeking election in the new super-constituency of Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, said: “This is the madness of Reform.

“No one wants to fill in forms but having proper regulation is the best way to ensure that food standards are maintained.

“In a properly regulated environment, families can be sure that the food they buy is safe to eat. From the point of view of farmers, having strong regulation makes the food they produce more marketable and more profitable. It would make no sense at all to lower standards.

“Everything we know about what the public wants confirms that maintaining standards through regulation is the best possible way to promote Welsh products. The brands we have created depend on the confidence that comes from proper regulation. Reform’s idiocy would be extremely damaging for the economy of Wales.”

Chlorinated chicken

Reform’s leader Nigel Farage favours a trade deal between the UK and the US that would see the UK lower food standards so that items like chlorinated chicken could be imported from the US.

Nation.Cymru reported in March how Cristiana Emsley, imposed by party leader Nigel Farage as the lead candidate in Fflint Wrecsam, had been accused of being involved in a flawed probe into a senior police officer that was subsequently thrown out .

In 2022 Ms Emsley featured in widespread publicity arising out of a disciplinary investigation into Superintendent Beverly Gill of Cleveland Police.

The Daily Mail story on the matter stated: “The ex-police chief who led a disastrous sex abuse probe into Ted Heath had a ‘personal and undisclosed’ relationship with his former ethics boss, a disciplinary hearing has heard.

“Mike Veale’s relationship with Cristiana Emsley was cited as the key reason for a ‘biased’ and ‘unfair’ investigation into a senior officer working at Cleveland Police, dubbed ‘the worst force in the UK.’

“Mr Veale, the Chief Constable, and Ms Emsley, the civilian head of standards and ethics at the force, were accused of launching a ‘flawed’ probe into Superintendent Beverley Gill – who was accused of covering up sex scandals at the force, but had the case against her thrown out at a disciplinary hearing in Stockton-on-Tees.

Ms Emsley was suspended for more than two years and was later involved in an employment tribunal case against Cleveland Police that was settled in a way that has not been publicly disclosed.