‘Jeremy Clarkson is good for British farming’ says minister at Shropshire meeting
Defra minister Mark Spencer has told a Shropshire audience he believes TV presenter and journalist Jeremy Clarkson is a good thing for farming.
Mr Spencer was talking at the inaugural Farmers Weekly Question Time event at Harper Adams University, near Newport, and discussed Clarkson, who has faced widespread criticism when The Sun published a column he wrote about Megan Markle back in December.
Asked whether “Clarkson [is] still a good ambassador for British farming or should be cancelled”, Mr Spencer - who was quick to say these views were his own, not those of Defra - said: “He’s been a huge and very positive influence on that generation of consumers that we can’t get to, that the NFU can’t get to and Defra can’t get to, so credit to him.
"He has his own controversial style but has reached people we’ve been unable to reach, and I think on balance that’s a good thing.”
Mr Spencer’s views were largely shared by the other members on the panel.
Farming YouTuber Olly Harrison said: “He’s definitely got people to understand what’s going on, on farms,” and livestock expert and academic Professor Michael Lee added: “I’m not a fan of Jeremy Clarkson but I know he’s had an impact on the farming community.”
Award-winning environmental campaigner and author Vicki Hird was more damning:
“He definitely crossed the line,” she said. “I did like the first series but I’m not sure I’ll watch series two because I just thought [the article] was appalling.”
The event gave farmers the opportunity to put their burning questions to the panel at a time when British farming is experiencing huge internal and external pressures.
