Snub row as Ministers avoid Yorkshire show

Caroline Spelman and her team have been in talks with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society since last year over a planned visit to the Harrogate showground this week for England’s premier rural event.

At short notice, however, Ms Spelman has told the society she will not be attending.

Organisers had hoped Farming Minister Jim Paice would visit in her place but have been told that instead Lord Henley, a parliamentary under-secretary of state who deals primarily with environmental matters, will be the sole Defra representative at the show.

Show director Bill Cowling told the Yorkshire Post the lack of support from Defra was “symptomatic of a reluctance to visit the north of England” from Government.

“It is very disappointing. We had been speaking to Ms Spelman as early as last year about a visit and had talks in May with her private secretary about the programme for her visit. After all that we are told she is simply not coming.”

Defra stressed that no snub was intended by the cancellation and that Ms Spelman now had to attend a Cabinet meeting on the day of her scheduled visit.