Comments on: The Common Agricultural Policy and the UK general election http://www.jonworth.eu/the-common-agricultural-policy-and-the-uk-general-election/ At the intersection of the EU, UK politics and tech Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:21:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: UK Bureaucrats Cosy up to Tories : Joe Litobarski http://www.jonworth.eu/the-common-agricultural-policy-and-the-uk-general-election/comment-page-1/#comment-126976 UK Bureaucrats Cosy up to Tories : Joe Litobarski Sat, 08 May 2010 17:52:09 +0000 http://www.jonworth.eu/?p=3366#comment-126976 [...] Thurston, an activist campaigning for CAP reform, left a comment on Jon Worth’s blog in which he posted a statement from Defra – the body responsible for releasing the data: [...] [...] Thurston, an activist campaigning for CAP reform, left a comment on Jon Worth’s blog in which he posted a statement from Defra – the body responsible for releasing the data: [...]

]]> By: french derek http://www.jonworth.eu/the-common-agricultural-policy-and-the-uk-general-election/comment-page-1/#comment-126923 french derek Sat, 01 May 2010 17:33:18 +0000 http://www.jonworth.eu/?p=3366#comment-126923 If the EU really wanted (needed?) to get agreement around changes needed to the CAP all they would have to do is insist that payments go only to genuine farmers - and not to all these (very profitable) food processing companies (Tate & Lyle, etc, etc). That should bring the cost of the CAP down enormously. If the EU really wanted (needed?) to get agreement around changes needed to the CAP all they would have to do is insist that payments go only to genuine farmers – and not to all these (very profitable) food processing companies (Tate & Lyle, etc, etc). That should bring the cost of the CAP down enormously.

]]> By: Jack Thurston http://www.jonworth.eu/the-common-agricultural-policy-and-the-uk-general-election/comment-page-1/#comment-126912 Jack Thurston Sat, 01 May 2010 10:13:54 +0000 http://www.jonworth.eu/?p=3366#comment-126912 It's also worth noting that the Scottish Government saw no problem in publishing the data for 2009 for Scotland. It's available here: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/grants/LatestPayments/SIACSpayments2009 It’s also worth noting that the Scottish Government saw no problem in publishing the data for 2009 for Scotland. It’s available here:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/grants/LatestPayments/SIACSpayments2009

]]> By: Jack Thurston http://www.jonworth.eu/the-common-agricultural-policy-and-the-uk-general-election/comment-page-1/#comment-126911 Jack Thurston Sat, 01 May 2010 10:12:10 +0000 http://www.jonworth.eu/?p=3366#comment-126911 Jon, I share your bafflement. An official at Defra was kind enough to write to me directly to inform me of the decision. She told me: "This decision reflects the need to maintain, and be seen to maintain, the impartiality of the UK Civil Service, given the potential risk that CAP payment information relating to any individuals involved in the election might be used as part of election campaigning." I think they were fearing for the possibility that candidates receiving farm subsidies may not appreciate their payments being made public during the campaign. I can think of quite a few candidates who do get farm subsidies, just three of which are Zac Goldsmith, Neil Parish and Robert Sturdy. I'm sure there are more. Note that our election site presents data from 2000-2007, not 2008, as you indicated in your blog post. Jon, I share your bafflement. An official at Defra was kind enough to write to me directly to inform me of the decision.

She told me: “This decision reflects the need to maintain, and be seen to maintain, the impartiality of the UK Civil Service, given the potential risk that CAP payment information relating to any individuals involved in the election might be used as part of election campaigning.”

I think they were fearing for the possibility that candidates receiving farm subsidies may not appreciate their payments being made public during the campaign. I can think of quite a few candidates who do get farm subsidies, just three of which are Zac Goldsmith, Neil Parish and Robert Sturdy. I’m sure there are more.

Note that our election site presents data from 2000-2007, not 2008, as you indicated in your blog post.

]]> By: Ralf Grahn http://www.jonworth.eu/the-common-agricultural-policy-and-the-uk-general-election/comment-page-1/#comment-126910 Ralf Grahn Sat, 01 May 2010 09:30:36 +0000 http://www.jonworth.eu/?p=3366#comment-126910 Good work, Jon! Good work, Jon!

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