Welsh Tory leader’s anti-EU policy will destroy Welsh Farming industry, warns Plaid Cymru

Conservative plans to leave the EU will destroy the Welsh farming industry, warns Plaid Cymru’s Simon Thomas.

The Party of Wales candidate accused Welsh Conservative leader, Andrew RT Davies of backing proposals to cut funding to Welsh farmers.

Anti-EU campaign group, Vote Leave, has announced plans that any additional funding from leaving the European Union would go to the English NHS, meaning that the £2bn of European Union funding that currently goes to the Welsh agricultural sector through the 2014-20 Common Agricultural Policy would instead by syphoned into English healthcare.

The Welsh Conservative leader is supporting plans for the UK to leave the European Union, while farming unions FUW and NFU Cymru are both taking positions which are positive towards remaining in the EU.

Simon Thomas, Plaid Cymru’s lead candidate for the Mid and West Wales region, and the constituency candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said:

“For years, Plaid Cymru and others have warned that leaving the EU would mean the end of the financial support lifeline that the Common Agricultural Policy provides for more than 80% of Welsh farms.

“Now we have proof that anti-EU campaigners will remove that money from the Welsh farming industry and instead use it for English health services.

“That is the policy of the official exit campaign which the leader of the Welsh Tories supports.

“In simple terms, leaving the EU means less money for Wales and more for London. That’s just not right.

“Many people were surprised that any politician in Wales outside of UKIP would support us leaving the EU given the importance of the single market and European funding to Wales. It is even worse that the people on his own side think that Wales should lose out.

“Having taken such a position when even their leader is acting against the Welsh national interest it is no surprise that the Welsh Tories have fallen to third place in recent polls, behind Plaid Cymru.”