Neil James probably believed the stunt in America when Jeremy arrived with a dead cow on his roof was real as well.

Lord Lucan, Weston-Super-Mare,

I am afraid that since it was disclosed that the Top Gear caravan-on-fire scene was utter fiction it is now impossible to believe a word that Jeremy Clarkson says.

Neil James, Bedford, England

Sound idea.

I'm always staggered by the number earnest rebuttals, normally originating the other side of the herring pond, to Mr Clarkson's more provocative remarks.

The most urgent thing is to get Brussels out of the (mis)management of our country.

Referendum now!

cuffleyburgers, Lucca,

An entertaining read but worryingly prophetic in the saner parts. I think Jeremy's fears for the future of rural Britain should not be taken lightly. We may laugh at his jottings now but will we be crying in 25 years?
Beautiful swathes of rural Wales are already being effectively raped and pillaged by wind factory development, all so that this government can be seen to be 'green'. Without presenting all the factual evidence, of which there is plenty, it is a scam which only benefits wind turbine developers who gleefully fill their bulging pockets with government handouts whilst thousands of rural dwellers find their lives blighted - oh yes, and Mrs Llewelyn can run one small low-energy lamp, but only when the wind is blowing at the optimum speed...

Jane Yorke, Nantglyn, Denbighshire

Hahahaha. Ta, Tom of Dubai. Your comment made me laugh more than Clarkson's.

However, Mr.C.....that Top Gear Polar special was superb. I'm glad it's not just me who has that 'a week without wine' reaction. Now, that was funny!

MsStigster, Up north...drinking a Chablis!,

It's very encouraging to read of Jeremy Clarkson's concern for the countryside. Many of the threats posed to it are tackled in his piece and particularly the underlying theme that short term policy decisions on a lot of different issues (the CAP, renewable energy and housing to name but three) risk of doing long term damage to our amazingly attractive countryside.

Stability and continuity are helpful for something that has taken as long as the countryside has to look the way it does now. Changes can be for the better, but rapid, ill-considered decisions can mar places for generations to come. Things need to be planned well.

Private effort and enthusiasm have always played an important role in enhancing the rural landscape. We all benefit from that vision and hard work in the past. But this is too big a problem and opportunity for Government not to be involved. It took time to get hedges protected; with an indifferent Government we might lose much countryside all too soon.

Tom Oliver Head of Rural Policy CPRE, London, UK

I Feel Great Britain is still full of old conservatives that just cannot accept the complex modern world. But these same waste-monsters do appreciate the 4x4 comfort and praise them against "stupid little Toyota Prius"... What Jeremy should do is drive at the speed that is legally set on our country roads and reduce his quadri-carburettor's consumption so that the "stupid windmills" can power-up small modern cars run at 50 mph and do what it simply says on the tin....
instead of doing boat/tanks and Super car races on our preserved country side lanes, he should maybe try and understand that all this may well disappear (and all the so much loved farmland with it ) if we don't start showing our kids on evening Tv how to world behave.
Behave a little and stop drinking Jeremy!
David Hingamp - a frenchman.

For some reason, I just have the feeling the Clarkson era is getting to an end.

david hingamp, london,

What I find utterly amusing about the climate change 'debate' is the idea that we have the 'choice' to continue using fossil fuels indefinately as though there are no natural limits! Has anyone in the UK ever heard of peak oil? Are you all aware that North Sea crude has peaked and annual supply from it is diminishing exponentially at a rate of about 5 to 7 percent? Are you aware that (according to some very eminent geologists and high ranking oil company execs) global oil production should peak this year or next? What about peak coal and gas? Yes it would be a shame to usurp pretty country side for the purposes of growing energy crops, but there are natual limitations on the amount of available fossil fuels. We may wish to continue our high energy lifestyles (I know I would...I love my car and houshold gizmos) but the reality is that its just not on the cards.

AdamB, Sydney, Australia

Read the article again, look for the subtleties. I had to. We're being led down a path where we cannot make up our own minds. G Brown et Mr Blair have hoodwinked many (previously) thinking Britons.

Justin, Alford, UK

To Jane Macquitty.

Thank you for your comments about screwcaps - they are excellent! Have you blasted against the horrible plastic caps? I have destroyed two very smart corkscrews already! They must go!

John Ballance, Hereford, UK

You may just be right,

butIm selling the house moving to a much bigger one in France & buying a Bentley with the change

N G, Corsham, Wilts

I've read all of the comments. The country is doomed. We do not have even an ounce of sense we can rustle up between us. We can't read Jeremy Clarkson columns without making bitter little comments about them. Come on - really. Can't we do better than whinging about the people whose tax revenue props the rest of us up?

Well I've got a better idea than JC's. We put all the fat people (who cost the tax payer over £4bn pa in health) into a big dome (like that centerparcs place) and make them peddle away on exercise bikes, which are connected to the national grid, until they are slim enough to re-enter society. Two birds - one stone!! The reason they're in a dome is because they're fatties and flatulent, so we can harness that to make more energy. How green am I???

Mr Clarkson, I begin to see the attraction of fool bating. Come on - rise, rise, rise!!!

Tom, Dubai, UAE

Its hilarious to see that Jeremy is still unable to understand the oldest of sayings, 'The grass is always greener'. He didn’t want farmers to get subsidy and now that they don’t, oh no that’s even worse, so he proposes lets sell all the land for other uses, let me guess that will be even worse when that happens! He forgets that the point of this is to improve the environment, by stopping farmers from growing this fuel or any other product in them we would have to import our food, hmm so much for that idea of cutting emissions, the carbon is now being produced from transporting our food.

Matthew Holdsworth, Kettering,

Wow! JC actually for taxing the rich? That is what you are saying here isn't it?

Basically instead of the whole country paying tax towards looking after the interests of our farmers, and ensuring they have a living wage - the rich would use their wealth to do the same. The outcome would be similar - farms not actually making money, but those paying would be different!

For once it seems like you might have a good idea there, bring on the high tax (or 'stewardship of the countryside' if you like) for the rich I say!

Liam Ford, London, UK

Ageing Tory reactionary frightened of modern world shocker.

Matt, Brighton,

Great idea Jeremy, but I'm not rich! If I promise to make my hundred or so acres beautiful and not sell out to farmers can I be on the list please?

K Walker, London, London

I always knew you were a closet Green! Yes, Clarkson the tree-hugger; yes, Clarkson the eco-warrior. What next, Clarkson the vegan?

Not for you, as one would have thought, given the opportunity to make good use of acre upon acre of treeless plain: a sixteen-lane super-duper highway, inside lane for the 50mphers, up to the sixteenth for the 200 mpher speed-freaks. No, instead Clarkson votes for our green and pleasant land. Who'd have thought it?

Proof positive that in past times you protesteth too much. Methinks it's time for you to dig deep to find the real Clarkson. Happy hunting!

Pat Fletcher, Nottingham,

So what happened to the field of Top Gear petrol then?

Jenny Baldock, York, North Yorks

It was v. amusing, don't take it so seriously folks, it's only Jeremy Clarkson!

melanie Pollitt, Cheadle , Cheshire

Don't know when you last considered the lottery, Jeremy, but I would prefer 70 acres with planning permission every time. With housing land prices of £1million and more per acre being commonplace it rather makes a lottery win look like mere pocket money!

Jim, Bath,

Excellent, so your view is to save the way Britain "looks" by buying up all the available agricultural land which would also avoid us from being able to grow alternative fuels. That way we have to continue to drive our petrol and diesel aspirated cars for a little while longer.
What is it that you are really looking to save? Top Gear?

Richard Grey, Jerusalem, Israel

The western world seems hell-bent on committing mass suicide. The question remains as to which will bring it about sooner, the global warming scam, continued mass immigration from the third world, or simply good old political correctness? Take your pick!

Clement R Knorr, Tucson, Arizona,

Jeremy Clarkson’s insightful description of what is happening to the hills of Wales comes as a very welcome change to the normal doublespeak that is spoken when renewable energy is mentioned these days.

Welcome Jeremy and all readers of your column to the Land of the Oppressed

Ian Gardner, Nantglyn, Denbighshire

If the human race went 100% veggie who is going to take the task on of slaughtering all the un-needed cattle, sheep etc. Why would we need animals, a few horses and pets but the rest would go extinct, by eating cattle and sheep you preserve the breeding stock and provided the husbandry is good give them a short but enjoyable life. Veggies are short sighted, good living conditions for animals is much prefered than total extinction and good conditions, its good living conditions that should be campagined for.

John, Glasgow, Scotland

Maybe with all your pots of money, you could buy Britain, be King, make all the rules & then a lot more of us would be a great deal happier.

*shuffles of muttering "...The Empire..."

JezzaBelle, Beautifully green Somerset,

You've obviously got your beady eye on some prime land and have aspirations of being an evil landlord.

Jim James, Nanshan, China

Revision. Vegetarians are the most enlightened and humane people on earth. They are against all forms of bloodshed. Vegetarians have reverence for the lives of all God's creatures!

Brien Comerford, Glenview, United States

I'm sorry I fell asleep halfway through this column, can someone tell me how it ended?

David England, Liverpool, Merseyside

I agree with the stupidity of turning viable agricultural land into crops for the power stations. If we must use crops to replace diesel then surely we should use the waste parts; i.e. Straw etc

The oil companies like the idea of just pressing some vegetable oil, a little chemicals and there you are for eco friendly fuel. This misses the point that it takes a lot of regular diesel that the farmers/haulers use and the net extra energy is negligible.

PS What will the French do when their subsidies are cut, maybe they have an opt out clause.

Joseph Kellie, Edinburgh, Scotland

Putting all the land back in the hands of the Nobility might not be such a bad idea, you know. Although, i'm sure your "tax the poor", "Global Bloody Warming" and "Stupid Vegetarians" remarks won't go down too well amongst the leftists, eco-mentalists and vegetable-ists round here.

Just so long as the land isn't swallowed up by cheap 'designer' buildings which will look awful and most likely be in ruins in 50 years or by bloody windmills, i won't worry too much.

Ryan, Aberdeen, Scotland

Vegetarians are the most enlightened and humane people on the planet. They have reverence for the lives of all God's creatures and they do perpetrate bloodshed. God bless vegetarians !

Brien Comerford, Glenview, United States

And just what, exactly, is wrong with the Lowlands looking like Winnipeg?

Victor Wong, Ottawa, ON

Great idea Jeremy. Except I'm not sure how many rich people have the time or inclination to do the farming themselves. Perhaps they could just be persuaded to pay some sort of subsidy, and let the people who know how to do the job carry on doing it. Oh, hang on, I think it has been suggested before. Higher rate taxation anyone?

Emma King, London, UK

Perhaps Clarkson should follow his argument to its logical conclusion: i.e. form a liquidation posse , round up anyone with an income lower than his and exterminate them. I'm alright , Jack.

Matt, ampthill,

Exactly! Wealthy landowners who looked after the land and employed serfs...I seem to remember them, they built stately homes that the government stole by taxation.... in those days shooting Janet S-P lookalikes would have been considered a fairly reasonable way of spending the hour or two between tiffin and gin, so nothing has changed there.

David Ellis, Shekou, China

Alternatively you could find a way to use the land to grow food for the worlds starving!

Just a thought.

Mark, London,