²ÝÁñÉçÇø

The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian Podcast: Efra chair Alistair Carmichael - we should not go 'the full French', but farmers' fight is far from over

Orkney and Shetland MP and chair of the Efra Committee Alistair Carmichael recently presented a Bill urging Parliament to address supply chain unfairness and the imbalance of power dynamics between farmers and supermarkets

clock • 1 min read
The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian Podcast: Efra chair Alistair Carmichael - we should not go 'the full French', but farmers' fight is far from over

On this week's ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian Podcast, farmer and Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael discusses Defra and why, despite current policies, he does not believe Labour Ministers Daniel Zeichner and Steve Reed set out to harm farming.

Instead, he says the problem lies with the Treasury and that while the campaign to reverse or amend the family farm tax may be long, farmers must keep campaigning.

READ NOW:ÌýEfra chair presents Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill in Parliament to back British farmers

"When it comes to going the ‘full French' I would say keeping public opinion on our side is very important and I would be really anxious about anything which risked alienating the rest of the public... The Government has pushed us into a corner and we have to keep pushing back.

Defra

"I do not think there is a silver bullet in this. But I think the thing we do have is an advantage in this battle is the length of it. We will not be voting until October/November on this and that is a long time for any Government to double down.

"We have to just keep fighting and keep doing, and keep doing it again after that. If there was a silver bullet here, I would find it and I would fire it."

LISTEN NOW: The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian Podcast: Trump, tariffs and tractors – what do US policy moves mean for UK farming?

More on Podcasts

The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian podcast: Farming careers from the classroom to the cattle shed

The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian podcast: Farming careers from the classroom to the cattle shed

What does a career in agriculture look like in 2026?

Alex Black
clock 12 May 2026 • 1 min read
The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian arable special: Regen learnings from Duchy of Cornwall 'Focus ²ÝÁñÉçÇø'

The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian arable special: Regen learnings from Duchy of Cornwall 'Focus ²ÝÁñÉçÇø'

Join us for our second arable special where ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian head of arable, Ash Ellwood, visits Duchy of Cornwall's Focus ²ÝÁñÉçÇø, Heather and Paul Gorringe

clock 01 May 2026 • 1 min read
The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian Podcast – British wool: The farm-to-fabric journey

The ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian Podcast – British wool: The farm-to-fabric journey

In this week's ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Guardian podcast reporter Mia Willemsen is joined by guest Harriet Fletcher-Gilhuys, textiles researcher at Fashion Roundtable, who discusses the Great British Wool Revival and its support for the farm-to-fabric journey

clock 28 April 2026 • 1 min read