We’ve all been there growing up — desperate to fit in with the cool kids. You laugh at their jokes, pretend to like things you don’t, and say whatever you think will get you a seat at the table. Most of us grow out of it. We learn that real respect comes from being genuine, not from selling out to impress someone else. But some people never quite shake it off. They take that same try-hard energy into adulthood, and before you know it, they’re flogging off the British farming industry for a few thousand tonnes of chlorinated chicken and a shot at being Donald Trump’s new best mate.
Well — that’s exactly what happened this week with Reform UK.
Nigel Farage now struts about like a country gent, wrapped head to toe in pristine Barbour and brand-new tweed. But ask him what our farming communities actually need, and you’ll get little more than a blank stare — unless there’s a camera involved. He’s cosplaying the countryside, not fighting for it. In truth, he’s doing everything he can to undermine British agriculture for the sake of a few awkward photo ops with America’s Commander-in-Chief.
And it’s not just him. Lee Anderson, Reform UK’s man in Ashfield, posted a photo of a salad last weekend and claimed “millions” already eat food with chlorine in it — so what’s the fuss? Jacob Rees-Mogg (still technically a Conservative, but let’s be honest, probably eyeing up a Reform rosette) chimed in too, saying it’s “pure protectionism” to ask shoppers to pay more for decent, UK-farmed chicken. Instead, he wants cheap American imports on the shelves. This is their grand plan for British agriculture? Throwing our high standards out the window for a quick trade deal and a nod from Washington?
With the global order wobbling in the midst of a US-led trade war, it’s tempting to look to those who shout loudest and claim to have all the answers. But here’s the truth: Reform UK haven’t got a clue.
In Norfolk, we’re not fooled by bluster. We prefer practical solutions over pompous pontification. And while Reform UK might sound like they’ve got ideas, once you look past the noise, there’s nothing there — no plan, no detail, just chaos in waiting.
Take farming support. Instead of working to replace the Common Agricultural Policy with grants that reward sustainable, climate-friendly land management, Reform UK want to scrap the lot. And replace it with what? They’ve no idea. It’s recklessness pretending to be reform.
Meanwhile, many of us are doing the real work to put profit back into farming. Just last month, I hosted South Norfolk’s first-ever Farmer’s Advice Surgery. Over 60 farmers squeezed into Bramerton village hall (yes, I underestimated the turnout — lesson learned) to talk about their hopes and fears. And guess how many said chlorinated chicken from the US was the answer? None. Not one.
I’ve spoken repeatedly about the biosecurity threats facing UK agriculture. What’s Reform UK’s position? Total silence. And what about the red tape stopping farmers from building the reservoirs we desperately need? We’re facing more droughts than ever, but like those parched fields, there isn’t a drop of evidence that Reform UK know what they’re doing.
So here’s my message: if you care about British farming — about animal welfare, food standards, and keeping our countryside alive — don’t fall for Reform UK’s dangerous delusion. They want all the power, none of the responsibility, and they’ll leave our farmers to deal with the mess.
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Source: Politics
