DOUGLAS Ross has been urged to break his silence and come good on a promise he made to Scotland’s farmers to always be “on the frontline” defending their interests.
The SNP called for the Scottish Conservative leader to speak out on the controversial Australian trade deal, which Downing Street last week repeatedly refused to say would not introduce hormone-injected beef to the UK.
Writing in the Scottish Farmer in October 2020, Ross promised to be “out there on the frontline with farmers saying no, never” should such a situation ever arise.
The National has been unable to find that the Scottish Tory leader has said a word on the impact of the Australian trade deal being negotiated by his bosses in Westminster.
That is despite his repeatedly avowed “personal” interest in Scotland’s farming community, which he claimed in Holyrood he would have joined had he not become an MP, MSP, and a football linesman.
READ MORE: 'Fight back or resign': Ian Blackford challenges Alister Jack on Australia trade deal
Writing in the Scottish Farmer last year, Ross said: “In the privileged position I find myself in as leader of the Scottish Conservatives, I’ve got an opportunity to stand up for Scottish food standards on a much bigger platform.
“I want to reassure every reader of the Scottish Farmer that I will do exactly that, every single time.
“I’ll never vote to allow hormone-injected beef or chlorinated chicken into the UK. It would need legislation to bring those foodstuffs into the UK and I can promise you, if it ever came to it, I’ll be out there on the frontline with farmers saying no, never.”
Last week, the president of National Farmers Union Scotland, Martin Kennedy (above), said that farmers feel the proposed Australian trade deal is a “total betrayal”.
Its zero-tariff proposals may see Scotland’s beef and lamb industries undercut by cheap imports from down under, which could soar after a deal is made.
NFU president Minette Batters said such proposals would be “unbearable” for farmers across the UK.
READ MORE: Tory minister claims farmers have 'nothing to fear' from Australia trade deal
SNP MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire and former sheep farmer Jim Fairlie called on the Scottish Tory leader to live up to his promises “in the face of these dreadful proposals”.
Fairlie (below) said: “Douglas Ross made this promise to Scotland’s farmers just eight months ago and wrote to farmers in my constituency promising to be their champion. This is a big test for that promise as farmers face the prospect of being undercut by beef and lamb imported tariff-free from Australia.
“There are severe consequences for Scotland’s farmers if this deal goes ahead as it could push them out of business, that would be a complete betrayal of the industry.
“In the face of these dreadful proposals, we have heard nothing from Douglas Ross despite his promise to stand up for farmers ‘every single time’ – now is the time for farmers to have their corner fought for.
“Scotland’s world-class produce has already been under threat with our seafood industry being sold down the river, we cannot have the same outcome for our farmers and their fantastic, high-quality beef and lamb.
“We cannot trust Douglas Ross and the Tories with Scotland’s farming sector, they must urgently rule out tariff-free access to the UK that would seriously impede our home-grown produce.”
READ MORE: Warning of 'trucks rolling over Border' as England plans to legalise GM food
According to the Australian government’s food standards agency website, hormones “are used on about 40 per cent” of cattle in the country.
The European Union has banned the use of such hormones and will not import products from cattle given them.
The news comes after Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, urged Scottish Secretary Alister Jack to end his “deafening silence on this crucial issue”.
Blackford reminded the top Tory of an assurance he had given the National Farmers Union of Scotland, that their “voice is heard at the very highest levels of the United Kingdom Government”.
The SNP MP went on: “Your only credible option is to make clear that this is a resigning matter should your views be ignored in Cabinet.”
The Scottish Tories have been approached for comment.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel