Welsh Tories accused of ‘lies’ and ‘misinformation’ in agriculture reform row

Emily Price

The Welsh Conservatives have been accused of ‘lies’ and ‘misinformation’ amid a series of heated social media spats between politicians over proposed agriculture reforms for Wales.

It comes following a number of protests by farmers regarding the Welsh Government’s new Sustainable Farming Scheme which will replace grants once received when Wales was part of the European Union.

It will require farmers to bring their existing tree and woodland cover up to 10% – and earmark another 10% for habitat.

However, farmers say this would never be practical whilst running a farm business.

Rishi Sunak, along with Tory politicians publicly backed Welsh farmers outside the Welsh Conservative conference in Llandudno last week.

It sparked a ferocious row between the Tories and Plaid Cymru with Plaid’s Westminster leader accusing the Prime Minister of “shameless bandwagon jumping”.

Liz Saville Roberts later slammed the Tories for “leaving Wales to pick up the pieces of their Brexit shitstorm”.

The audacity of Welsh Tories:
leaving Wales to pick up the pieces of their Brexit shitstorm, imposing some of the worst PMs in history, ignoring our interests with amateur-negotiated trade deals, & playing on farmers’ genuine fears to revive Conservatives’ zombie credibility https://t.co/R2MgPcW82H

— Liz Saville Roberts (@LSRPlaid) February 24, 2024

Amid a series X disputes at the weekend, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies said Plaid Cymru can “pull the plug” on the SFS by ending its “coalition” with Welsh Labour.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said the post showed “what a contemptuous lot” the Conservatives are.

This is quite useful to show what a contemptuous lot the Conservatives are.
Lying? Misrepresenting? All considered fair game to them.

Sensible people won’t fall for it. They know there’s NO coalition govt in Wales, & that Tory UK Govt slashed ££ available for rural Wales. pic.twitter.com/lAupraCsQb

— Rhun ap Iorwerth (@RhunapIorwerth) February 25, 2024

‘No coalition’

On X, he wrote: “Lying? Misrepresenting? All considered fair game to them. Sensible people won’t fall for it. They know there’s NO coalition govt in Wales and that Tory govt slashed ££ available to rural Wales.”

In December 2021, Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour signed a deal to work together on 46 policy areas.

It is a cooperation agreement and not a coalition government because Plaid Cymru remain in opposition but can appoint advisers to offices of the Welsh Government.

However, the Tories have argued that the formal definition of “coalition” applies to the agreement because it is a temporary alliance between the two parties.

Plaid Cymru are in COALITION with Labour in Cardiff Bay.

They’re helping Labour CUT the rural budget.

They’re letting Labour STEAL 20% of farmers’ land through the SFS.

Our farmers need actions, not words.

The Welsh Conservatives will ALWAYS stand with our farmers. https://t.co/Fg0GxEywhW

— Welsh Conservatives 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@WelshConserv) February 25, 2024

Deal

On Sunday, an image was shared on the Welsh Conservatives X page of the moment Mark Drakeford and former Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price signed the cooperation agreement a few years ago.

The Welsh Tory leader said: “It’s a coalition in all but name. Very dishonest to claim otherwise. The so called ‘co-operation agreement’ gives Plaid access to civil servants, special advisers and ‘designated members’.

“Labour can only decimate Welsh farming because Plaid let them. If they wanted to, Plaid would pull the plug. Instead, they resort to misinformation and keep Labour in power.”

Responding, Plaid Cymru MS Mabon ap Gwynfor said the Tories only know how to “tear down and destroy things”.

In an X post he said: “And Conservatives ask me in amazement why we won’t work with them. When they purposefully lie like this then they will *never* have *any* influence in the Senedd.

“The only thing they know is how to tear down and destroy things. Building is anathema to them.”

Andrew RT Davies responded: “It’s not a lie Mabon. By propping Labour up, Plaid is enabling Labour to decimated the Welsh farming industry. It’s coalition in all but name.”

Mr ap Gwynfor hit back saying: “The narrative suits your political agenda, but it’s a lie and does a serious disservice to politics and the people we are elected to represent honestly.

“Courting votes is one thing, but a damaged democracy shouldn’t be the price you pay in your endeavours.”

This is quite useful to show what a contemptuous lot the Conservatives are.
Lying? Misrepresenting? All considered fair game to them.

Sensible people won’t fall for it. They know there’s NO coalition govt in Wales, & that Tory UK Govt slashed ££ available for rural Wales. pic.twitter.com/lAupraCsQb

— Rhun ap Iorwerth (@RhunapIorwerth) February 25, 2024

‘Direct lie’

Labour MS Alun Davies also waded into the row saying: “It’s a direct lie Andrew. And you know it.”

The Guardian published an article on the protest from the Observer which claimed that the Prime Minister had attended the protest alongside a group which had posted conspiracy theories about climate change and which campaigns against net zero.

These cranks need to be called out – they do not represent ordinary farming families up and down Wales.

Anyone with concerns about the future of agriculture support needs to articulate an alternative to the proposals before the end of the consultation. https://t.co/CndZrUcoDQ

— Alun Davies AS / MS 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇪🇺 (@AlunDaviesMS) February 25, 2024

‘Cranks’

Alun Davies shared the article alongside the caption: “These cranks need to be called out – they do not represent ordinary farming families up and down Wales.

“Anyone with concerns about the future of agriculture support needs to articulate an alternative to the proposals before the end of the consultation.”

Welsh Conservative MP Fay Jones and shadow transport minister Natasha Asghar MS criticised Mr Davies for the post saying he shouldn’t describe angry protesting famers as “cranks”.

Had you bothered to go out and speak to protestors, you’d know who they were. In no way are they ‘cranks’.

They’re my constituents and you owe them an apology. https://t.co/UhV5wjdl59

— Fay Jones MP (@JonesyFay) February 25, 2024

Responding to the MS on X, Ms Jones said: “Had you bothered to go out and speak to protestors, you’d know who they were. In no way are they ‘cranks’. They’re my constituents and you owe them an apology.”

However the Welsh Labour backbencher says he was not describing ordinary farmers as “cranks” but he was referring to the people who had hijacked the protests who were spreading conspiracy theories as was explained in the article he had shared.

Mr Davies asked the MP for Brecon and Radnorshire whether she had read the Guardian article he had posted.

She said: “No because you called them cranks and I couldn’t be bothered to give your opinions further attention with that sort of attitude. I thought better of you Alun.”

Mr Davies said the Tory MP was “deliberately and wilfully” misrepresenting him.

Ms Jones also hit out at the deputy minster for climate change, Lee Waters after he said the Welsh Tories had “completely lost their moral moorings” and now “lie and misrepresent with impunity”.

Nearly 30 years ago the Conservative Government adopted the seven ‘Nolan Principles’ of public life as Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership

They have completely lost their moral moorings and now lie and misrepresent with impunity https://t.co/EDzQktJCMa

— Lee Waters MS (@Amanwy) February 25, 2024

The Member of Parliament responded saying: “Welsh Labour flailing so hard amid farming protests that they’re pretty much Trumpian in their levels of misdirection.”

Farmers plan to protest to politicians against the SFS in Cardiff Bay on Wednesday (February 28).

A consultation is currently underway for the scheme and Welsh Government has said alterations to the proposals will be made before the scheme is rolled out next year.