Farron slams Government for insulting local farmers over subsidies

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has accused the Government of insulting local farmers after the DEFRA secretary Michael Gove called for a move away from "subsidies for inefficiency".

Analysis based on DEFRA calculations shows that over 2500 of the nearly 7000 farms in the North West could end up going bust without government support payments.

Tim said: "For Michael Gove to imply that farm payments are a reward for inefficiency is an insult to local farmers. It shows he has no understanding of the reality of farming in this country.

"British farmers are some of the most efficient and dynamic in the world. Farm payments compensate for the fact that the market is broken, because supermarkets and processors dominate the industry and exploit farmers.

"It's impossible to ignore the fact that direct payments are a lifeline for our local farmers so today's announcement from Michael Gove is not just insulting but also risks threatening the future of the family farm."