Veganism row breaks out after Joaquin Phoenix is told: be kinder to farmers

Claim that celebrity campaigns cause 'enormous damage' draws ire from animal rights groups

He has been called a diva and pretentious, and there are even those who don't like his acting - but never before has Joaquin Phoenix been accused of causing mental health problems for British livestock farmers.

On Tuesday, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) president, Minette Batters, changed all that, opening a new front against the US actor by claiming that he and other celebrity campaigners for veganism had played a part in demonising the UK's meat producers and doing "enormous damage" to their wellbeing.