I've had enough with this blaming ,'Everyone had their chance'

Your comment there just shows everything that has ruined this country to be quite frank. What do you think led to the downfall of virtually all our manufacturing and mining industries? So you would rather buy the cheap imports and see the people of the UK put out of a job, because that's what you are essentially saying here. I for one would rather pay a little more to buy British and support this countries economy.

 

Sorry I was being ironic! not easy on a message board.

 

I quite agree with you regarding the upland agriculture v. mining debate (my father and his two brothers worked in the mines, my father being a shot firer).

Farmers seem to have been powerful politically since time immemorial.

Interestingly, the University here in Cambridge own a substantial amount of the land and property in this area, including many farms. Property prices here have gone through the roof, partly due to this and partly due to the massive surge in scientific research in Cambridge resulting in research firms relocating here with consequential pressure of housing staff from all over the world (I used to run my own property management business and we used to get enquiries, and tenants, from all over the world wanting to rent a house).

 

The fact is the farming lobby has a disproportionate amount of political power certainly compared to the mining industry.
I do appreciate we need food production and that partly why the EEC was set up in first place.
And although I support Europe not sure the CAP was good for farming or the environment. I would rather see farmers supported as land manages in uplands than over grazing them with too many scrawny sheep.
Where we go next god only knows. The UK will not be able to support the farmers to the same level as CAP. The upland farmers will struggle. That may or may not be good for the environment; I just fear the change will be unplanned and unmanaged.