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09
Oct 2020
Protesters demonstrate outside Harrogate MP's office against agriculture bill
Protesters gathered outside Andrew Jones’s office to urge the Harrogate MP to vote against the government’s Agriculture Bill.
Demonstrators staged a peaceful protest with placards amid fears the bill will open the door to low-standard meat from the United States.
It came as part of other protests by farmers and campaigners held around the North Yorkshire and the country. Campaigners also urged the five other North Yorkshire MPs, including Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith and Selby and Ainsty's Nigel Adams, to vote against the bill.
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MPs are due to vote on the legislation on Monday when it returns to the House of Commons. The House of Lords recently voted for an amendment to require any any imported food products to meet UK standards.
Richard Sadler, volunteer organiser for Save British Farming in North Yorkshire, said the purpose of today’s demonstration was to call on MPs to “do the right thing”.
He said:
Philip Knight, a teacher from Shaw Mills, was among the protesters outside Mr Jones's office this afternoon. He said he was worried that the government would make a mistake by passing the bill.
Mr Knight said:
The Stray Ferret approached Andrew Jones for a comment on the demonstration, but received no response.
Alongside today's protest, farmers demonstrated in Stokesley and Swindon where tractors were driven through the towns with placards which read "save British food".
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