“One step forward, two steps back”- Watson on CAP vote disappointment

South West MEP for the Liberal Democrats Sir Graham Watson has commented on a largely disappointing set of key votes on the next spending round of the Common Agriculture Policy.

He commented,

"Whilst I welcome the decisions to end the potentially illegal double payment system and increase transparency and openness on public payments, there are lots of votes which are disappointing.

"Perhaps the biggest defeat is on greening. The loss of flexibility on this policy will make it harder for farmers to run their operations more flexibly, resulting in fewer economic benefits for the future. This will also be a huge blow to the thousands of constituents who have contacted me over the past few months urging the European Parliament to carry out this long needed reform.

"We really have gone one step forward, two steps back. What I really feared most -a return to the days of butter mountains and wine lakes of the past- looks increasingly likely unless national government ministers are able to stop it. I am deeply disappointed by the majority of decisions made today."

"On too many issues the vested interests of left and right wing parties won the day, leaving the Liberal greening agenda on the losing side."