A farmer who became an unlikely photogenic antidote to the onslaught of political stories on the day a snap general election was called is likely to vote for Theresa May – but is not impressed by the current crop of politicians.
Jonathan Waterer, who was pictured with his team of shire horses on pages two and three of the Daily Mail under the headline “Dreading seven weeks of political posturing?”, thinks the UK should get behind the prime minister so she can win the best Brexit deal for the country.
“I wouldn’t say I’m very political,” said Waterer, who shuns tractors for the heavy horses. “But I do take an interest. We all watch what goes on in the world. Some things are good, some things aren’t so good. We’re living in not a very good time. We’ve had Brexit and now we’re having this election. It’s quite unsettling.”
But when pressed by the Guardian, Waterer admitted he was likely to vote Tory. “Mrs May will get my vote. There isn’t anyone else. Farmers will vote for her. I think she is the one that is going to deal with Brexit so we may as well stand behind her and hope for the best.”
Waterer, 57, has been overwhelmed by the response to the images of him with his horses working his 100-acre Higher Biddacott Farm near Barnstaple. The pictures featured in papers including the Guardian as well as the Daily Mail.
He was amused by the Mail’s line that his horses all pulled in the same direction – unlike Jeremy Corbyn’s team. “That was very good,” he said.
Feature writers have booked to see him at work, a film company has been in touch hoping to make a documentary, and even the BBC’s Songs of Praise has been on the phone.
Rather than staying at home on Wednesday to field the calls, he spent most of his day at a farm sale looking out for new harrows.
Waterer is a fourth-generation farmer. He spent time as a young man in Canada learning about horses before settling down on Exmoor, where he spent 14 years. He is now in his 21st year at Biddacott Farm.
As well as using his horses to plough and mow, he hires them out for weddings, funerals (16 last year) and film shoots. His horses have been in productions ranging from Poldark to Tess of the d’Urbervilles. His wife. Fiona, runs a B&B at their medieval farmhouse.
Waterer thinks Brexit will help shake up farming. “It will wake people up. I see some farmers spend more on their kit than they really need to. We need to think what we’re doing and what we’re spending on.”
Many farmers are worried about losing the huge financial backing the EU has provided them. “Farmers are good at reacting to the situation. If these payments do go, farmers will be quick to save costs,” he said.
The North Devon seat in parliament is currently held by the Tory Peter Heaton-Jones. Waterer said that unless Labour came up with “some amazing” person nationally, he would vote Tory.
But he didn’t sound completely convinced. “We haven’t really got an orator in this country. We haven’t really got a strong politician. I don’t see any really strong politicians anywhere. I imagine Mrs May will get back in.”
Hopefully, he said, little would change. “Life will rumble on just the same. It will for everybody.”
