General election will be 'make or break' for the countryside

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has announced that the long-awaited general election will take place on July 4 - and the rural vote could be crucial when the nation heads to the polls.

Countryside leaders said it was potentially a pivotal moment for the rural economy, agriculture, housing, energy infrastructure and environmental protection amid the constant challenge of climate change.

Mark Riches is acting regional director for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) in the East of England.

He said he will be meeting with prospective parliamentary candidates across the region during the next six weeks to "ensure the rural voice is heard in the run-up to the election".   

“People living in the countryside want to run businesses, create jobs and grow the economy but for decades, governments of all colours have treated rural areas as a museum, failing to generate the conditions necessary for growth," he said.

"Every party needs to prove it matches the ambition, the talent, the work ethic and the values of the rural community. We don't want nice words, we want a plan, and a commitment to a realistic budget for the future of agriculture."

Prime minister Rishi Sunak with NFU president Tom Bradshaw at the Farm to Fork Summit at 10 Downing Street (Image: Simon Walker/ 10 Downing Street)

National Farmers' Union (NFU) president Tom Bradshaw said: “This general election may well be the most important in a generation for British food and farming. The stakes are very high. 

“Confidence is the currency that forms the foundation of feeding the country and it is currently at rock bottom after months of devastating flooding, high production costs and low market returns, and against a backdrop of reformed farm support as we transition to a new domestic agriculture policy.

"Farmers and growers need the policies in place that will rebuild confidence and deliver a thriving, profitable farming sector delivering for food security as a key part of our national security."

Elli Moody, head of policy, campaigns and communications at CPRE (the Campaign to Protect Rural England), said: "This general election will be make or break for the countryside.

"The next government will be faced with era-defining decisions on housing, environmental protections and energy supply. These will have big impacts on rural communities and our finite supply of land.

"We urge all political parties to think about the future while tackling the priorities of today."