No more jam

In a surprise move, the UK Farming Minister has closed a scheme which would have enabled farmers to recruit short term labour to help with the fruit harvest. Speaking at the NFU conference George Eustice MP told surprised delegates that it was unacceptable for UK citizens to refuse to carry out harvest work on farms on the grounds that the work was seasonal.
The Seasonal Workers Agricultural Scheme, under which over 21k Bulgarian and Romanian workers carried out harvesting work for around 5 weeks per year will now be abolished.
Claimants in the Western Isles and Shetland will no doubt be looking forward to the annual bumper strawberry harvest in order to fulfil the requirements of their benefit claim.