THE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 20 2017
35 Business
Welsh farmers ‘face Brexistential threat’ PLAID CYMRU has warned
that Welsh farmers face a ‘Brexistential threat to their livelihoods’ if failed Tory leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom ‘takes back control’ of EU agriculture policy. The party’s Rural Affairs
spokesperson in Westminster, Liz Saville Roberts, attacked Westminster’s Rural Affairs Secretary, Andrea Leadsom, as she announced that she will scrap the so-called 'three crop rule' that requires farmers to grow three different types of crops to protect wildlife. Ms Saville Roberts accused the Defra Secretary of focusing her post-
Brexit agricultural policy on doing favours for large scale crop farmers while ignoring the grave concerns of exporters and farmers who depend on EU subsidies. According to a report published
last week by Westminster’s Environmental Audit Committee, sheep exports could face in excess of 30% tariffs and beef 50% if the British State is dragged out of the Single Market, as well as the European Union. The Plaid Cymru MP called for
Westminster to honour Brexiteer promises that farm subsidies will be plugged post-Brexit. Payments to farmers through Europe’s Common
Agriculture Policy account for 80% of farm incomes in Wales and supports 16,000 farmers. Commenting, Plaid Cymru’s
Rural Affairs spokesperson in Westminster, Liz Saville Roberts MP, said: “The announcement by Westminster’s Rural Affairs Secretary that one of her first acts post-Brexit will be to scrap the three crop rule is a worrying glimpse into Westminster’s Brexit priorities. “Rather than ease the concerns of
those farmers dependent on subsidies or those who are reliant on exporting their produce, the Rural Affairs Secretary is more interested in doing favours for large scale crop farmers. “EU subsidies account for 80%
of farm income in Wales - that’s what farmers are worried about. “The Environmental Audit
Committee warns that sheep exports could face in excess of 30% tariffs and beef 50% if they lose their place in the Single Market. These are issues that will have grave consequences for farmers and could even threaten the existence of upland farmers. “That Westminster is more
Farming faces
‘Brexistential’ crisis: Liz Saville Roberts
concerned about helping their rich friends make a profit is deeply concerning. It seems that ‘taking back control’ means taking back the power to help the giant agri- business lobbyists who are flocking
to Westminster, while Welsh livestock farmers face a Brexistential threat to their livelihoods. “The Tories can dress up their
words in populist rhetoric all they like but underneath the facade it is clear that it is the same old Tories with the same old mindset. “Welsh farmers and farmers
across the rest of the British Isles need assurances that they will not lose their access to the Single Market when
we leave the European Union. They need assurances that the 80% of their income that comes from the Common Agriculture Policy will be plugged by Westminster, as was promised by Brexiteers before the referendum. “Wales, unlike the UK, exports
more than it imports. It is a healthy trade balance that the rest of the UK should look to emulate but, instead, the Tories seem determined to destroy yet another Welsh exporting industry.”
Micro-businesses urged to complete Self Assessment FREELANCERS and micro-
business owners who have yet to register their business with HMRC are rapidly running out of time if they want to get their Self Assessment tax return submitted to HMRC, FreeAgent has warned. The company - who provide
award-winning cloud accounting software for freelancers, micro- businesses and their accountants - has warned business owners that failing to register for Self Assessment
in the next week will mean they are unlikely to be able to submit their tax return on time, and will be fined by HMRC. Emily Coltman FCA, Chief
Accountant at FreeAgent, said: “Before you can submit your Self Assessment tax return, you must first register with HMRC and get your unique activation code sent to you by post. You simply cannot file your return without this. “Remember that HMRC doesn’t
accept failing to register in time as an acceptable excuse for filing a tax return late, so if you don’t get your code and you can’t submit your Self Assessment return, you’ll receive an automatic £100 fine. In addition, if you don’t pay your tax, you’ll also face extra financial penalties which can quickly escalate. “It’s better to act quickly and
register with HMRC now than risk leaving it until it’s too late.”
Taking back control: Andrea Leadsom
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
