During Leadership Campaigns Rishi Sunak claimed to want to champion British Farming and “Food Security” but it seems that like so much else this was just election talk.

Recently Mr Sunak and his Government has unveiled a couple of Christmas presents which they obviously believe will lift the mood in the industry - though which will not be of particular interest to the many pig farmers in Yorkshire, where lies Mr Sunak’s own constituency.

First a deal has been done for a Polish company to build and operate a pork processing plant in Lancashire, creating plenty of jobs for locals in the process. Good news all round then? Well, not exactly because the pork that will be being processed will be Polish pork.

Never mind there’s news of another significant inward investment in the UK: Danish company Danish Crown is a sinking £100 million into setting up a plant in Rochdale to produce 900 tons of bacon and gammon a week. With 300 jobs surely promised this, then, is going to gladden the hearts of local pig producers. Well not quite, yes, you’ve guessed, the pigs providing the raw materials will be Danish.

All this while the British Pig Industry is on its knees.

This Government has no interest in food Security or British Farming – only in big business.

The use of Sow Stalls was outlawed in the UK on animal welfare grounds, many years ago, but like some other EU countries Denmark and Poland still use them. They also operate under much less stringent welfare regulations making production cheaper than for pig farmers here in the UK.

I very much doubt that the Polish and Danish Farmers will be subject to the same inspection routine as British Farmers. So, the chances of their shocking farm welfare standards will be hidden from the consumer.

Pat Bryant

UK Independence Party - Food and Rural Affairs Spokeswoman