‘Will George Lyon’s endeavours in the European Parliament make you more likely to vote Lib-Dem?’

YOU MIGHT not always agree with his politics, but there is no question that Lib-Dem MEP, George Lyon, has certainly hit the ground running since his election to Brussels.

A seat on the EU Parliament’s agricultural committee was quickly followed by his appointment to draft the chamber’s CAP reform proposals. Then, at the SBCA’s annual dinner, he championed the gradual approach to CAP change by stating that this will not be fully functional until 2020.

He continued his ‘gradualistic’ theme this week by saying he would be tabling amendments to the agriculture committee’s report on Less Favoured Areas whereby there would be a ‘phasing’ period for any land that was to lose its LFA status.

More interesting, however, were his two amendments which, in many ways, could be peculiar to Scotland, ie isolation and field capacity days to reflect the remoteness from markets and the extraordinarily high rainfall that Scotland experiences.

Mr Lyon’s ‘gradualistic’ themes might not meet with universal approval, though they are of enough interest to warrant further investigation.

The ‘isolation’ and ‘field capacity days’ proposals are no brainers: they will have the full support of the industry and it is to be hoped they are taken on board by the committee and the commission.