Shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle today accused the Defra secretary of having an "Ideological prejudice" against solar power."

The comments were made when the Defra secretary's controversial announcement that farmers would no longer be able to claim CAP support for fields containing solar installations was up for discussion in Parliament. Announcing the measures last week, the Defra secretary said large scale solar is "ugly" and "A real problem."

The decision was ostensibly made in order to free up land for food production and, according to the environment secretary, because large-scale installations are a "blight" on the countryside.

However, renewable energy industry groups have railed against the policy, pointing out that land can be used simultaneously for solar farming and grazing, and arguing that the move amounts to virtually inconsequential grandstanding.  Environment campaigners have gone further, accusing the Tories of "Playing to the Ukip audience."

Friends of the Earth spokesperson Alasdair Cameron told the Independent last week that the government announcement on solar farms "Is quite a contrast from fracking, where the Government is willing to change the law to allow it to happen under people’s homes."

Maria Eagle's comments on Thursday were made in response to an announcement by farming minister George Eustice at the beginning of the week.  Eustice admitted that Defra "Made no estimate of the amount of land occupied by solar panels" before announcing the subsidy cut, which ministers claim will save the government "up to £2 million."

Ms Eagle said there was "no underpinning evidence" for the decision to "[cut] Britain’s ability to generate clean electricity." She asked Liz Truss, "Isn’t this just another example of the self-styled greenest government ever now resorting in the Prime Minister’s words to getting rid of the green crap, regardless of the consequences?"

Truss responded that the shadow secretary doesn’t "seem to understand how important food and farming is to the rural economy."

The Defra announcement was made shortly after the Department of Energy and Climate Change revealed it would cut subsidy support from 1st April next year, a move which renewables groups have said will have more significant consequences for the future of solar power in the UK.