politics – Page 3

Scottish Farmers, Brexit and Subsidies

Scotland’s population is about 5.4 million people, or 8% of the UK total. However, Scottish farmers receive 18% of the UK’s overall common agricultural policy funding, including 85% of the less favoured area payments. They face the prospect of immense uncertainty and a huge shake up of the industry over the coming years. At the topContinueContinue reading “Scottish Farmers, Brexit and Subsidies”

Subsidies…dare we predict the future?

If you type in the phrase ‘farm subsidies’ into any search engine news feed you will find multiple references to the super rich receiving hundreds of thousands of pounds in subsidy for simply owning land. Under our current format of payments, driven by the Common Agricultural Policy, landowners receive payments for being just that, landowners. TheContinueContinue reading “Subsidies…dare we predict the future?”

Who is Labour’s Rachael Maskell?

Now, as readers of this blog I would like to think that you are all fairly politically and environmentally aware and would therefore recognise the name Rachael Maskell. Yes? No? Well, if you do you are probably doing a lot better than most people. Certainly, I had not heard of her before Jeremy Corbyn appointedContinueContinue reading “Who is Labour’s Rachael Maskell?”

State of Nature 2: Farming in the spotlight

Despite the BBC editorial team not passing today’s launch of the second State of Nature report sufficiently newsworthy to be included in this evening’s News at 10, it was included in this morning’s episode of the Today programme on Radio 4. If you didn’t catch it it can be found just under two hours intoContinueContinue reading “State of Nature 2: Farming in the spotlight”

When will the UK ratify the Paris Agreement?

Both China and the United States, the world’s biggest polluters when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, have now ratified the Paris Climate deal (COP21) and yet the UK still does not have a date for doing so. Theresa May was pushed on the matter by Green MP Caroline Lucas at PMQs this afternoon andContinueContinue reading “When will the UK ratify the Paris Agreement?”