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Therese Coffey accused of hating devolved nations after dog jibe

24 Feb 2023 2 minute read
Therese Coffey speaking at the NFU conference yesterday – Photo: Jacob King / PA Images

Therese Coffey has been accused of hating devolved nations after saying “I don’t think the tail should wag the dog” in reference to England potentially following Wales and Scotland in certain policies.

Speaking at the National Farmers Union conference yesterday, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs answered a question from NFU president Minette Batters about why England didn’t follow Wales and Scotland’s policy example regarding Basic Payment Scheme grants for famers.

Minette Batters said: “Do you think the point there about ‘going together’ bearing in mind that Scotland Wales are waiting until 2024, so they is still direct support amd full BPS payments, do you think it would have been better to have agreed a framework?”

Therese Coffey replied: “No, I don’t think the tail should wag the dog.”

“Arrogant”

The Brexiteer attended the event organised by the NFU to answer questions and speak with people from the farming industry, some of whom had lost businesses this year.

An outraged Welsh farmer branded Coffey’s comment as “arrogant, rude and offensive” in a social media post and other Twitter users flocked to the comment section.

One Tweeted: “She hates devolved nations” and another said: “I’m about to start a ‘safe space’ for English people to learn more about the other nations food and farming policies. They’re going to be amazed.”

Another user said: “Hours later and I’m still astonished at just how appalling she was.”

Therese Coffey’s recent comments have drawn criticism after she suggested that people struggling with the cost of living crisis work more hours in order to pay for food and when speaking about the supermarket salad shortage she advised eating turnips instead of tomatoes.


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THOMAS William Glyn
THOMAS William Glyn
1 year ago

I do not understand why so many people are surprised by such comments. I was born in 1941 and such comments have always been issuing forth from the mouths of English Nationalistic bigots.

Riki
Riki
1 year ago

Indeed, English Nationalism which is adorned in false Britishness.

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 year ago

Woman knows a lot about turnips, she even looks like one !

Marc
Marc
1 year ago
Reply to  hdavies15

I feel that’s a bit harsh on turnips

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 year ago
Reply to  Marc

Quite so. Maybe it’s turnip that’s well past its eat by date and fit only for pulping composting or recycling into fertiliser !

Steve Woods
Steve Woods
1 year ago
Reply to  hdavies15

A turnip is a sentient organism in comparison.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

As far as right-wing comedians go and then some we come to Coffey, an ersatz wartime style bitter chicory flavoured tights around the ankle corner shopkeeper of the piles of smelly old newspapers and green fags variety…Central casting from Sci-Fi Grotesques is responsible for the Tory front row…

Argol fawr!
Argol fawr!
1 year ago

An outraged Welsh farmer branded Coffey’s comment as “arrogant, rude and offensive”

Sums up all those in the Conservative party, not just Coffey. Who’s abilities seem to be exclusively limited to those listed.

Riki
Riki
1 year ago

And there will be plenty of Taffs who’ll go…oh well! And just carry on as if their country is totally fine.

Frank
Frank
1 year ago

Problem is with ignoramuses like Coffey is they think England still rules the waves. Something that happened over 600 years ago does not apply eternally for goodness sake. Move on ffs.

Last edited 1 year ago by Frank
Tories out!
Tories out!
1 year ago

What she’s admitted to is that if Wales or Scotland come up with a really good policy on farming, she’s not going to copy it because it would make the Tories look second rate. So she’d rather inflict a bad policy on English farmers instead. Lets hope that sinks in with the Tory farming vote in England.

Rhosddu
Rhosddu
1 year ago

If ever there was a revealing instance of the colonialist mindset, this was it.

Last edited 1 year ago by Rhosddu

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