Helen Whately

From the gentle green hills of the Downs to the eerily desolate marshes, Kent has some of this country’s most breathtaking landscapes. We also have acres of excellent agricultural land, earning our reputation as the Garden of England by growing some of the best produce this country has to offer.

Hundreds of people have contacted me with fears that some pesticides are harming bees and other pollinators, with disastrous consequences for the whole eco-system. Last November, the Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced further restrictions on some pesticides, after new research showed that they were more dangerous than previously thought. While it’s right to be guided by scientific evidence on pesticides, we must recognise that agriculture is crucial for the future of our planet and it needs our support. Seventy per cent of our land is farmed, and farmers recognise more than anyone else that the future prosperity of rural areas depends on caring for the environment. The government has guaranteed farmers will continue to receive subsidies equivalent to what they currently get from the EU until 2022. But they will be encouraged to adopt methods that make the soil healthier and create better habitats for wildlife.

Brexit is an opportunity to go further than the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy allows in promoting greener, more sustainable farming.

Plastic pollution and microbeads poisoning our seas are another worry. I try to avoid single-use plastic bottles and cutlery. I am pleased that the government has committed to eliminating plastic waste by 2042 and banned products like facescrubs and toothpastes that contain microbeads. If we all do our bit we can help turn the tide on the plastic clogging up oceans.