NFU Brexit Remain £73,565 spend
- Thread starter Wooly
- Start date
- Location
- South Molton
So
The a vote on TFF and similar run by Farmers weekly showed farmers overwhelmingly in support of leave but money was spent on remain and the NFU took the position that was what farmers wanted ?
Sorry but ........................I JUST DON'T GET IT
clearly they know better than the people they "represent"
The a vote on TFF and similar run by Farmers weekly showed farmers overwhelmingly in support of leave but money was spent on remain and the NFU took the position that was what farmers wanted ?
Sorry but ........................I JUST DON'T GET IT
clearly they know better than the people they "represent"
I had to laugh at this, sorry Frank but ive been to some of the meetings etc/QUOTE]
NFU, or NFU-Scotland ?
- Location
- South Molton
Date of these polls please?
old fashioned NFU are not in touch with their members that don't go to meetings
will say this they do organise a good quiz though
why spend the money at all ?
- Location
- South Molton
So the Farmers weekly vote took place and the results were given on the 29th April
58% leave of 577 respondants
http://www.fwi.co.uk/news/exclusive-survey-reveals-farmers-back-eu-exit.htm
The electoral Commission states
"Before a referendum is held, there is a formal campaigning period called the ‘referendum period’. During this period, certain rules on campaigning and spending apply.
The referendum period starts on 15 April 2016 and ends on 23 June 2016. The spending limits apply during this period.
If you want to spend more than £10,000 during the referendum period you must register with us (PDF)."
So the Farmers weekly poll was after the deadline for making a stand on either side.
Maybe us as NFU County position holders who made a recommendation to council , should have looked at the TFF poll (71% of 586 voted leave totally different from the FW one, perhaps you could explain why you think that is @Clive ?) from NFU members and non members and even voters from out side the UK and EU as a gauge of UK farmers thoughts.
I think the only position that an organisation such as NFU could have taken was that of the status quo as siting on the Leave side could have been portrayed as a push towards one side or another.
Hers is the list of spending
http://search.electoralcommission.o...ptCols=DateOfClaimForPayment&optCols=DatePaid
From the 3p spent on media to the £42,994.80, nearly half the spending, on market reasearch
Perhaps you could have lent the NFU your superdooper crystal ball to for see the results of the polls before the cut off date of the begining of April?
- Location
- South Molton
No but as you will see one was AFTER the NFU had to make a decision.
Maybe the NFU should have spent time ringing every member to find out, at the beginning of the referendum how they were going to vote before they had any information on the likely effects, which we still don't know now 18 months later!
The NFU's job was to show the likely effects of Brexit, not to tell anyone which way to vote.
- Location
- South Molton
Perhaps checking the facts on dates of polls would be a good idea before saying that the NFU should have reacted to them, or maybe they should have waited until after the Brexit vote to decide which "side" to take.
- Location
- South Molton
What would members have thought if the did nothing at all.
Gave them no idea of the possible effects of various trade deals. Just let Boris etc tell everyone we are going to get billions back with zero costs attached its all so simple. No pensions to contribute to, no future funding to pay for that we have signed up to. Amicable divorce is simple isn't it?
our maybe on an issue as important as that or a spend of that magnitude they shouldn't have bothered to ask their members ? a postal poll wouldn't costs lot
should the NFU have even taken a side in Brexit ? what did they possibly have to add to the debate away ? they had no idea what it will mean (and still don't) they could / can speculate like the rest of us at best
fact is they do not trust their members to make decisions, whole life assurance, brexit, leadership choice etc are all dictated yet they still claim to represent. indefensible IMO for a "union"
The CLA stayed neutral on brexit why couldnt the NFU do the same? It was the only sensible thing to do on such a divisive issue with such strong feelings on either side
Tamar
Member
Did they waste £73,000 of their members money to stay neutral !?! Can't see what the argument is about as it clearly states that the NFU spent the money for the remain side.................. not the Brexit side or the neutral side.
I do appreciate that Sid is trying hard for the NFU cause, but hopefully he must see why the members are so divided and demoralised with how their hard earned money is been spent. It also appears the council that are allowed a vote on farming matters, don't actually represent what their members are concerned with.