Re: Farmers and Bumpkins, paaah
> it is the only profession I know of that gets a nice subsidy from the EU
apart from
The film industry, "Renewable" energy, anything which exports, the TV industry, Independant commercial radio, fishing, insulation fitting, gas fitting, fitting solar panels, the car industry, the motorbike industry, aviation, road building.....
Oh and (via prohibition) organized crime.
The Single Farm Payment is interesting because it covers everything and is subject to delays of up to three years in payment from DEFRA. It is also weighted to pay more per acre the more acres you have (again, this is specific to the UK's implementation - it doesn't work that way in, for example, France where it protects the rural economy and supports small farmers). It's a UK Government thing. For some reason, they like subsidizing rich people.
> Also did someone force your dad to be a farmer?
No, he could have stayed on in the Army after his National Service - oh wait, no he couldn't. But he could certainly have discarded all the craftsman-level skills he had acquired and done something worthless like most of us do. I expect it would have killed him even faster.
Iain Duncan Smith was a protected officer, twice assessed as "incompetent" and pushed out before he could do too much damage. Now he lives on his wife's income, EU subsidies and expensed breakfasts that cost more than half of a week's Jobseeker's Allowance. He can't add up, he can't defend his vindictive policies, he laughs about the misery he causes and i expect you've got his pin-up on your wall, tory boy.
I can't argue with you about supermarkets but hey, they contribute to both major political parties so they're protected.