The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) is looking to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for some sensible, creative thinking as he delivers his first budget, rather than following the destructive line of his senior economic adviser Dr Tim Leunig.

TFA Chief Executive, George Dunn, said, “It is a major concern that Dr Tim Leunig is considered a senior adviser at the heart of Government, when his view is so blinkered to describe the contribution of UK agriculture as ‘negligible’. Agriculture’s contribution to the retail and foodservice supply chains in this country, it’s stewardship of biodiversity and landscape and its contribution to culture, recreation and tourism is nothing short of phenomenal and continues to deserve public support.”

"In the maelstrom of policy development there are always some wild and wacky ideas in the mix when advisers are asked to think the unthinkable. The suggestion that the UK should abandon agriculture falls squarely into the category of wild and wacky. From whatever angle you look at it, the idea that we should follow the example of Singapore stands no scrutiny whatsoever. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has an opportunity to stand in support of British agriculture as he delivers his first Budget statement next week. He has a responsibility to us all to disassociate himself with Leunig’s eccentric analysis." 

Farming leader, Minette Batters has branded a senior Government adviser as  "completely out of touch" after suggesting Britain follows Singapore in not needing a farming industry.

The National Farmers' Union President has rubbished such a comparison, telling Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "Singapore has 5 million people, and doesn't have any farmed landscape so it actually has to import all its food.

"Here 75% of Britain is a farmed landscape, we have a fantastic maritime climate in which to produce our food, and we have 60 million-plus people here to feed so there's a sort of moral imperative, if you like, for us to be able to produce food in this country.

"So absolutely we need our farmers and we're the bedrock of the largest manufacturing sector providing all those raw ingredients and currently at 60% self-sufficiency."

Ms Batters said Britain can be "global leaders" in climate-friendly farming, adding: "There's a real opportunity for this Government to lead based on standards, integrity, and actually putting farmers at the forefront of delivering on climate change.

"So we have to see this as an opportunity and comparisons with Singapore are just completely out of touch with where this country is."

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker said : “The comments reportedly made by Tim Leunig are alarming although we’ve known that these views do unfortunately exist in certain Whitehall quarters. It is particularly concerning however given that Mr Leunig is an adviser to, and friend of Dominic Cummings who we know is especially influential in the inner circles of Number 10.  

“A nation’s agriculture is a fundamentally strategic need and providing food security could not be more important particularly with the climate and political volatility we are starting to experience. Climate change is throwing up so many uncertainties and while  British farmers have felt the force of this in recent years, and indeed are feeling it today with unprecedented recent rainfall, most predictions suggest that future conditions in Britain will mean our food producers may need to be relied on even more.”