NSA chief voices concern over “government chaos”
21st October 2022
Liz Truss’s resignation yesterday (20th October) after just 45 days as PM has caused further turmoil for industries across the country, said National Sheep Association chief executive Phil Stocker.
Following the shortest tenure of any UK prime minister, Liz Truss’s resignation is “a huge blow” to continuity and puts the whole ministerial team at risk of yet another upheaval, Mr Stocker commented.
After Truss’s first chancellor, Kwasi Kwateng, spooked the financial markets with his mini-budget last month, the promise of the energy price guarantee was swiftly dampened when new chancellor Jeremy Hunt stepped into the role. Widespread anger amongst the Conservative Party has seemingly grown since, prompting concerns about the impact this will have on the farming sector, NSA said.
“Farmers across the UK have been struggling for the past 12 months with severely increased costs, sometimes up to 150% over what they were paying for inputs before the war in Ukraine. This, coupled with little assurance or direction on future farming schemes and policy is making it incredibly difficult for farm businesses across the country to survive without building significant debt over the next six months,” Mr Stocker said.
The latest figures show the cost of living went up 10.1% in the 12 months to September, driven mostly by rising food price – meaning prices are rising at their fastest rate for 40 years.
“Whatever government that can now be scratched together must commit to understanding the British industry across its departments and realise the value of Britain as a food-producing nation.
“NSA is concerned that we may now see another ministerial reshuffle enforced, with the last six weeks simply causing disruption and a loss of confidence in agricultural and environmental policy.”
