Boris Johnson pledges cash for Scottish farmers if he becomes PM

Boris Johnson has promised an extra £25 million a year in subsidies for Scottish farmers after Brexit if he becomes prime minister.

Outlining proposals to reform the funding system after the UK is outside the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, Mr Johnson said he would address the way that Scottish farmers had been “poorly treated”.

Under plans set out as he campaigned for the Tory leadership, Mr Johnson said they would receive the same per hectare farming payment as the UK average after Brexit.

Mr Johnson said he will also consult with the Scottish government on ways to rectify the “historic injustice” that has seen farmers miss out on funding since 2013.

Scottish farming organisations and the Scottish government have argued that Scotland is owed about £160 million of EU payments to the UK for the period 2014-2020.

Mr Johnson said: “For years, British farmers have been given a poor deal by the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy – but it’s clear that Scottish farmers have been particularly poorly treated.

“It’s time that we stopped this.

“Once we leave the EU on 31 October, we will have a historic opportunity to introduce new schemes to support Scottish farming – and we will make sure that Scotland gets a better deal.”