YouSaid · the spoken record

Minette Batters

lines on the record: 58
first: 2023-10-15
most recent: 2023-10-15
sittings or episodes: 1
sources: podcast

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“After two hours, managed to get a line into his ankle. And they said at the time, he's on the cliff edge, we hope through the night, keep him awake, keep asking him questions, he will step back. And we got to the morning and he had stepped back for the cliff edge. But those are life-changing moments. I can remember it as if it was yesterday. I remember every single person. And our NHS, I mean, my family will be forever indebted. They are incredible.”
2023-10-15 · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“So, when George was five, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. And it was an absolutely terrifying moment. George's life and I will be forever indebted to our local doctor who actually came back out. I had had a chest infection. I'd taken George to the doctor, presuming he had a chest infection too. And Dr. Davis had listened to George's chest and he said, well, he doesn't have a chest infection. Take him to A&E if you're not happy, but keep him warm and see how things go. And I was actually pregnancy testing cows at the time. And unbelievably, the doctor came back out. And I just don't think that would happen now. But he came back out and he tested him for diabetes. And he said, you need to take him to hospital. Now he doesn't need flashing lights. But actually, when I got George there, his body had shut down. So his veins had collapsed. And there was a consultant there who finally...”
2023-10-15 · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“So the other thing was that we were farming in partnership back then with my landlord. So it was a set time. He had a partnership that was going to last 25 years. He knew that would end and there was no succession. So that was another part of it for him, that he knew it would end. And for my brother and I, he was always saying, look, we don't have a future here. So you need to think of something else. It seems a bit unfair to be talking too much about your personal life, but it'd be great to hear a little bit about your son. So I've got twins. My son George, my daughter, Holly, who I both just started at university.”
2023-10-15 · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“I think back then, and the world that he'd grown up in sort of through the 40s, 50s, and early 60s, farming, was it was all about heavy duty work. We didn't have the technology that we do now, you know, farming now. It's not about strength. It's about technical expertise, really. Back then, a lot of it was about really hard manual work and it was about strength. So he saw it as a physical job, basically, and not one for a woman to be involved in. Well, that's an interesting one, too, because obviously I represent farming businesses and they are about men and women. And often the women doing a lot of the running of the business, and certainly my mother was very much doing all the accounts. She was very much looking after the financial side.”
2023-10-15 · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“All in Wiltshire, but they'd owned a farm, actually not far from where we are. They'd then sold it in the Great Depression. And so he'd ended up with his brother actually being allowed to have the tenancy. And he always reminded me that he had a note given to him basically saying, best of luck. You know, your brother's got the farm, your sister's got a house, and best of luck to you. And he went off and then was farm manager. On an estate in Gloucestershire.”
2023-10-15 · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“So I think his mother died when he was very young. That was difficult. So he's brought up by his grandparents. He had, I think, a very, very difficult early life. I'm actually a fifth generation farmer, so his parents, his grandparents were all farmers.”
2023-10-15 · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“Well, that came, so he'd led a very, very colorful life. He signed up to basically fight in the Second World War underage. So lied about his age, of course he could back then, went to Italy and was, you know, training effectively in Italy. And so he led a colourful life. He had two very bad motorbike accidents. And of course, back then, you know, dealing with head injuries, we don't have anywhere near the technology that we have.”
2023-10-15 · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source
“You for having me So, you're right, it was a long time ago. Dad had acquired really serious head injuries. And for anybody that's lived with someone with really serious head injuries, it does affect their mood. He was completely paralyzed down one side, but he was an amazing character and he was really loved in the farming community, had a huge amount of friends at his funeral. There were 500 people that came to his funeral. But he was quite a lot older than my mother. He had pretty strong views about the role of women. And going into farming was not really one of them. So, yeah, he was opposed to that. And of course, I was a bit of a bull in a China shop back then. Probably some people would say I still am. And so we did clash most definitely.”
2023-10-15 · The Rest Is Politics: Leading · 40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source