Early day motion 1370

That this House utterly condemns the action of French farmers and others which has caused the burning alive of British sheep, attacks on British lorry drivers exporting sheep to France, the cruel misuse of live British sheep thrown against French police shields and the failure of the French authorities to provide adequate police protection to British meat carriers in France; declares that it is unacceptable that French farmers should take the law into their own hands, that to date no-one has been arrested in connection with these attacks and that no charges have been preferred by French authorities; and calls upon the Government to make the strongest representations to the French Government to secure adequate and safe passage of British meat exports to France, the safety of British lorry drivers and compliance with Community law.

At end add 'but recognises that the powerful French farmers' movement will act against EEC free trade rules whenever they think that it is in their interests to do so with the implicit support of their Government; and reminds EEC sympathisers that membership of the Common Market has provided billions of pounds wasted on the Common Agricultural Policy from British taxpayers, has been a trading millstone round our necks, and whilst the Government has meekly accepted Brussels rules they have been bent, stretched and ignored by other member states, including France and that withdrawal from the EEC would represent a considerable gain for the United Kingdom.'.