Tory Eurosceptics claim EU farm money
Updated on 24 July 2009
Three Eurosceptic Conservative MPs have claimed more than £500,000 in EU farm subsidies in the past two years.
New rules came into force this year obliging governments to disclose who claimed what under the much-criticised common agricultural policy.
The figures show Michael Ancram, the former Tory party chairman, received £211,000 for his farm in the Scottish borders.
David Heathcoat-Amory, who famously claimed for bags of manure for his second home, got £114,000 for his Scottish farms, while Philip Dunne was paid £201,000 for his Herefordshire family farm.
All were among 45 MPs who supported Eurosceptic Bill Cash's amendment to the Lisbon treaty last year.
The MPs' farms are entitled to the money under the CAP, but pro-Europe campaigners see an irony in the claims.
Brendan Donnelly of the European movement told More4 News: "I think there is an inconsistency that there are some high profile conservatives who benefit greatly from the workings of the common agricultural policy above all policies, because when people talk about the supposed iniquities of the EU - very often the CAP is quoted in that context."
Mr Ancram said that as a non-active partner he only received money if the farm was in profit, adding: "I'd love to see the CAP reformed - as long as it exists I'm entitled to claim."
Mr Dunne agreed that the CAP was in need of reform but said it had to be be done at a European-wide level so as not to disadvantage UK farmers.
Mr Heathcoat-Amory denied there was any conflict of interest, saying he had never engaged in debate on the matter, but added: "I am a longstanding critic of the EU - that includes whole way it is run, including payments".
The vast majority of the more than £750,000 paid out to MPs is claimed by rural Conservative MPs.
There are no Labour recipients under the CAP, while Liberal Democrats have claimed nearly £100,000 and the MPs' claims are dwarfed by those from landowners in the House of Lords, who have claimed a total of well over £3m.
This is the first year we have been able to find out who is claiming what, because new EU rules oblige member states to publish details of recipients.
Jack Thurston, whose website Farmsubsidy.org led the campaign to get the data, said: "This is money that is going to people for whom farming is not their primary source of income.
"This is the story we see again and again when we look at this data - the bulk of the money is going to big companies and wealthy landowners."
As for landowning MPs, in the wake of the the expenses scandal the public availability of data on EU farm subsidies is another aspect of the new world of transparency they will have to get used to.
