Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate West Worcestershire, today expressed her disappointment that the government has failed to listen to a Conservative campaign, designed to give justice to all English farmers and ensure they receive at least 80 per cent of their Single Farm Payments by December 25th.
The "Make Them Pay by Christmas Day" campaign put pressure on the Government to sort out the fiasco of the Rural Payments Agency. It was endorsed by the National Farmers' Union, the Tenant Farmers Association, and the Country Land and Business Association. However, according to the NFU, farmers have been told to expect 50% of their payments in February 2007 and the remaining 50% will be delayed until mid-year.
Harriett Baldwin remarked,
"The failure of last year's Single Farm Payment Scheme has been a complete disaster for farmers across Worcestershire and Herefordshire. It has left many contemplating leaving the industry and many more suffering anxiety and stress. Now it looks as if this incompetence is going to be repeated in 2007. As David Cameron said in his speech to the Oxford Farmers conference this week, in any other walk of life the person ultimately responsible for this failure would have been fired. Under this government she gets promoted to Foreign Secretary."