MEP Robert Sturdy is naturally outraged at how Margaret Beckett, the Environment Secretary, fails to take responsibility for her department, which includes Food and Rural Affairs. His letter calling on her to resign was today published in the Eastern Daily Press. The issuing of a new single farm payment has been delayed from the end of March to the end of June, causing terrible hardship for farmers, many of whom are at the mercy of their bank managers to tide them over.

Robert lays the blame fairly and squarely on Beckett’s shoulders as she went against EU advice and introduced a complicated computer system that does not work. Robert is a farmer himself and understands only too well the difficulties they face. I have brought this to the attention of the BBC Politics Show East so they can follow it closely too.

Let’s hope Beckett mulls over the shambolic state of affairs while participating in one of her favourite passions – caravanning!