For those who don’t want to read the rant, look away now. For those still with me, my apologies for what you are about to read.

As I understand it Tony Blair doesn’t like the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). While it helps give farmers a good income, and keeps food prices low for consumers, it widely distorts the market and pushes poor Third World farmers into poverty. It also costs a lot of tax payers’ money. I don’t like it, mainly because although I understand the need to give people a helping hand, I don’t understand why farmers need a constant helping hand.

Subsidising industry

We don’t have much of a coal industry, we don’t have a domestic mainstream car producer anymore after the death of Rover, we have exited swathes of traditional industries since we can no longer compete in those areas. British Leyland-Rover received constant drip-feed subsidies whilst nationalised. Ultimately it was a waste of tax-payers money since it rarely ever made a profit and when the hand-outs (from one source or another) dried out, it died. I accept every situation is unique and comparisons between farming and Rover could be considered to be foolhardy. But any industry which needs the level of subsidy which CAP has, needs to look at itself. I still think a bit of helping hand, a bit of subsidy to get a company to its feet is a good thing. But the level and extent of the subsidy need to be low. Whilst money is being handed over to the farming industry, you can’t blame them for taking it. My view, and also I think Tony Blair’s view is that CAP needs to be phased out (at the European level at least). So what did Tony Blair do about it, he give away some of his bargaining position and got nothing for it.

Goat

France greatly benefits from the CAP, so its no surprise that it’s position is firmly against any reduction. However, France wants Britain to give up the rebate Mrs Thatcher won for us, saying it is not relevant anymore. They do have a point, things have moved on since the rebate was won and even Mrs T would have had difficulty achieving it today. If the rebate is not relevant, so also for sure is CAP. And with veto power the rebate could stay until we were satisfied with progress on CAP reduction. Only it isn’t. And this is what gets my goat. Tony Blair gave away £7 billion from the British taxpayer, for a ‘promise that CAP would be looked at’ at some future date. No you didn’t read that wrong. To make up for those billions which we would have got back from EU (from our own contribution) the British taxpayers will have to dig deeper into their pockets, but it's OK, it's worthwhile because the French have promised us they will take a look at the CAP. Well worth the money, Mr Blair. Of course they will take a look; they will take a look and like what they see. Promise fulfilled, thank you very much.

Spin

The spin given by the government was the necessity to pass the EU budget. If the budget wasn’t passed, the new members would have to suffer hardships. France wasn’t budging, it wanted action on the rebate in this budget so Tony Blair had to compromise for the greater good. As a Labour party member and supporter, I guess I should be used to disappointment by now. And it hurts me to say it but, can you see Mrs Thatcher selling out like Mr Blair? I think not. Surely we should have stuck to our guns, with the offer of passing the budget with our rebate intact or rebate reduction traded for proportional reduction in CAP.

Nationalising the CAP

Surely if France wants to keep the CAP, it should be able to do so without any criticism. As long as it nationalises it. How about this; take CAP out of the EU budget (together with our rebate). Everyone then pays a share of the substantially smaller budget, and those countries which want CAP can have it from their own domestic budget. This would bring CAP (and the EU somewhat) into the democratic process. A countries electorate can debate on whether it wants to fund CAP or not, it will then be a domestic issue. And a much slimmer EU might also be more acceptable to the people of Europe who are turning sceptical.

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This article is sponsored by Proqul Ozone store who supply the Ozonology Sanitisation service.

>…any industry which needs the level of subsidy that CAP has provided ….needs to look at itself.

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