Douglas Carswell's Blog

Reform CAP? Good luck

News stories telling us the government wants to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are a bit like those items informing us that our trains are to be upgraded, or that the WI is to modernise its image. 

However often one hears about it, it is difficult to notice much change.

Today, Caroline Spelman, Minister for Environment and Agriculture, is suggesting that the CAP must be reformed.  She is absolutely right to point out that the subsidy gobbling scheme does little to help farmers, pushes up food prices and harms the third world.  

Yet isn't this, more or less, what every minister at her department has been saying for decades?  Reform of CAP has been the stated objective of every British government since we signed up to the Treaty of Rome.  It just never actually happens.

Why?  Because agricultural policy has been put beyond the realm of democratic decision-making.  Like all areas of public policy that have been "Europeanised", the officials who decide aren't answerable to the public.  

Whatever they determine is imposed on farmers and families - with ministers left to justify it.  Indeed, when did you last recall an election during which any of the parties were able to offer voters a serious alternative?  

We must wish Caroline well in her efforts.  But perhaps the only way Britain will ever get the kind of agricultural policy we need is if those we elect - like Caroline - decide policy and answer to Parliament, rather than our overlords in Brussels.

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