MICHAEL Gove has insisted SNP ministers are following in his footsteps with their plans for farming after the UK leaves the European Union.
The UK Environment Secretary said proposals for a five-year transition period in which farming subsidies would continue after Brexit were “taking a leaf out of” his department’s book.
It comes as Scottish Secretary David Mundell accused the SNP of mining “fake grievance", despite engaging positively with UK ministers behind the scenes.
Earlier this week, the SNP outlined post-Brexit plans for Scottish farmers that would see subsidies kept in place and Brussels red tape slashed over a five-year transition period.
It said the proposals went further than the UK Government, which has said all subsidies provided by the EU will continue until the end of the current parliamentary term in 2022.
But visiting the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Mr Gove said: "I think they're taking a leaf out of our book.
"They understand that life outside the European Union means you can remove some bureaucracy from the lives of farmers, and that has to be a good thing."
He insisted the UK Government’s consultation on the future of farming had been very well received, adding: " I think [that] suggests the path that we want to take agriculture south of the border is one that's got universal support.
"Here in Scotland we respect the fact there is a devolved administration that will make its own decisions, but it's encouraging that the direction of travel the Scottish Government wants to take is one that's following in our footsteps."
Mr Gove also pledged that Scottish farmers would always receive “special treatment” because they face unique challenges.
He was questioned about a long-anticipated review into the distribution of EU farm subsidies between Scotland and the rest of the UK, amid claims Scottish hill farmers are owed £160m from the Treasury.
He said: "We're going to make sure that Scotland receives the support that it needs in the future.
"And we're going to make sure that the unique circumstances of Scotland's geography and Scotland's farming sector are reflected in the allocations that we make in the future."
Mr Gove said he hoped an Agriculture Bill detailing the UK Government's plans for farming post-Brexit would be published at the end of July.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said the message from the SNP at Westminster was “lets weaponise Brexit as an opportunity to take forward independence”.
He added: “The complete and utter myth that agricultural powers were going to be seized by the UK government has at least this week been shot down completely.”
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