brixham port fishing

Trump versus Clinton promises the most entertaining race to the White House ever, but it was the current US president who took centre stage in Brexit this week. With Bojo on the attack, and Cameron relieved that Obama’s ill-advised comments to The Atlantic meant he owed him one, the most powerful man on the planet came out in favour of Bremain.

Amid this political pantomime, where Brexit increasingly resembles a convoluted route to power for disgruntled Tories, Costing the Earth (Radio 4, 15 March, 3.30pm) delivered a dose of reality, examining the impact Brexit would have on fishing, farming, wildlife and energy.

It only had 30 minutes, but even in precis the mixed fortunes of British fishermen and farmers laid bare the EU adventure. British fishermen were prevented from fishing in British seas but British farmers got “£100 an acre” even if they don’t grow a thing.

The total handout tops “£3bn a year” but a post-Brexit government would “almost inevitably” slash it to £1bn. Still, one farmer wanted to “kick away the subsidy crutch”, though another guest said Brexit would see “small family farms” go to the wall.

In happier news, the EU has also benefited wildlife. Like the plump “Roman snail”, an extremely important species - especially in bistros, drowned in molten garlic butter, scooped up with bread and washed down with an earthy red, just before the rare steak frites arrives. Apologies to fishermen everywhere, but at times like those it’s hard not to raise a glass to the EU.

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