Pig farmers protest outside the Conservative Party conference in Manchester (Stefan Rousseau/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)A pig farmer in East Yorkshire has claimed that she voted for Brexit so people would be “more patriotic” despite the effect of leaving the European Union has had on her line of work.
The impact of Brexit on the pig farming industry and the departure of many foreign butchers has caused a huge backlog at abattoirs across the country and there are fears that as many as 150,000 pigs could be culled on farms as a result, leaving the meat that would usually go into the food chain, to go to waste.
The farmer in question, Kate, was talking on Women’s Hour on BBC Radio 4 and complained about Boris Johnson’s comments that the slaughter of thousands of pigs was part of the “necessary post-Brexit transition”.
However, a question from a listener quizzed “why she is now complaining about the predicted aspects of Brexit when she gleefully welcomed Brexit? Does she now regret her support for leaving the EU?”
In response, Kate said: “Yes, I did vote for Brexit but I can assure people that I didn’t vote for this. I voted for people to be more patriotic. I voted for the government to look after ourselves, to put border controls in.
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“There’s a number of things I voted for. I went to a number of meetings, nearly one a week. I was very educated in my vote and I respected other people’s vote and they should respect my vote.”
Pig Farmer on Woman's Hour: "Yes, I did vote for Brexit, but I can assure everybody that's listening I did not vote for this. I voted for people to be more patriotic." ~AA pic.twitter.com/4TRGwLBnEs
— Best for Britain (@BestForBritain) October 18, 2021
Kate went on to blame the processors who “knew that they had 60 per cent of EU workers in their factories” and understood why many European workers wanted to return home because of coronavirus.
In reaction, many people sympathised with her but still failed to fully understand the reason why she voted to leave.
— James OhBrien (@mrjamesob) October 18, 2021
And this is why Leave never defined the Brexit that they wanted - because they couldn’t agree and knew that the nation had a thousand different ideas about what sunlit uplands awaited us when we broke free from Europe.
— John O'Shea (@politicalhackuk) October 18, 2021
Burning pig carcasses probably wasn’t amongst them. https://t.co/ZhQFDTyHJU
This breaks my heart.
— Eve Pendle (@EvePendle) October 18, 2021
The "Brexit means Brexit" narrative means leavers put literally anything they wanted as their reason to vote for economic and social disaster. https://t.co/ZV0erpveRw
I’m entirely supportive in respecting her vote, just as she now has to respect the consequences of her vote.
— Richie Barlow #Woke #FBPE 🏴🏳️🌈🇪🇺 (@The_DogWalker) October 18, 2021
She was warned. https://t.co/0EEe0wohmu
Around 800 butchers will reportedly be given temporary visas to come and work in the UK for six months. Those wishing to apply for the jobs have up until December 31st to register.
