Labour's Agriculture Spokesman Brian Simpson MEP is calling for an urgent and radical reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Speaking in a heated debate in the European Parliament Mr Simpson accused some member states of "sticking to the old discredited system" rather than facing the challenges that exist in our rural communities. Labour MEPs will be voting to reject the weak proposals to reform CAP today.

Brian Simpson MEP wants to change the emphasis away from direct subsidies for crops to a more market orientated system that would benefit farmers in the UK and allow money to be put into rural sustainability including environmental protection.

"Shoppers are paying higher prices for their food because of the subsidies being paid to inefficient farmers in Europe through the CAP.  We are even subsidising tobacco growers which is frankly unbelievable. It is a great pity that some Member States want to stick to this old discredited system rather than embrace the need for reform, but I for one am determined that in 2013 reform should take place, thus helping our farmers, our rural communities and last but not least our shoppers," said Mr Simpson.

"We are faced in 4 years time with an opportunity to radically reform the Common Agricultural  Policy. Yet already MEPs and some Member States are taking positions that would make reform impossible. It's the same old problem. We are being asked to subsidise inefficient farming whilst UK farmers miss out and our food prices are held artificially higher by this discredited system." said Brian Simpson MEP.