Irish farmers attack Blair over threat to EU agriculture spending

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair is to be directly asked by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) to remove his threat to the financing of the Common Agricultural Policy in the European Union.

IFA leader John Dillon will formally make the request to Mr Blair in a letter that he will hand over to British Ambassador Stewart Eldon in Dublin on Wednesday.

Mr Dillon said he is concerned and dismayed at Mr Blair’s unwarranted criticism of the EU farm and rural policies during the financial perspectives negotiations at the recent European Council meeting in Brussels.