Tory party’s rural bond about to break

IN one of my first meetings as president of the Country Land and Business Association, a farmer asked me: “Why does no-one care about me and my community?” People in the countryside – whether young, working or running a business – have faced a generation of economic neglect. Despite covering 85 per cent of the UK’s land, rural communities feel unseen.

And this is why they could deal the biggest shock of the coming general election.

The Conservatives’ roots run deepest in the countryside. As Winston Churchill once said, the party’s “bond with the countryside is unbreakable”. But according to our most recent polling with Survation, this historic bond could be about to break.

Months before the UK goes to the ballot box, Labour has overtaken the Conservatives in England’s 100 most rural constituencies, polling at 37 per cent to the Tories’ 34 per cent. Compared to 2019, this means Labour has surged by 17 per cent and the Conservatives have collapsed by -25 per cent.

But perhaps most surprisingly, only a quarter of rural residents feel the Conservative party truly gets them.

Before the Labour party starts celebrating, they should be under no illusion: they have done little to earn these votes. Traditionally, they have shown little to no understanding of our communities, and even in recent years, not much has changed.

Only 28 per cent of rural communities say Labour understands them, and according to the same polling, the Tories are still more trusted than Labour on the economy.

Even so, pundits may still be surprised by these results. Rural residents have often been labelled as

‘Shire Tories’, but this political stereotype has always been nonsense.

Frankly, rural communities care little for finger pointing party politics. And politicians need to know that our votes are loans, not lifetime gifts.

The rural economy is 19 per cent less productive than the national average. This translates to £43bn of missed economic opportunity. In real terms this is missing innovation, these are missing jobs, and in some cases, this is avoidable poverty.

Turning this around requires nothing short of radical ambition. This is why the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) is stepping in. Rural England doesn’t want to be treated like a museum. Like anywhere else in the UK, we just want policies that match our aspirations.

The CLA has launched six missions, designed to help policymakers unlock the potential of rural communities, for the good of our countryside, and our country as a whole.

Anyone interested in rural votes in this general election, take note. We need at least £4bn a year to invest in a world-class agriculture policy, so our farmers are no longer trying to create a sustainable future on a shoestring budget.

Let’s also build enough housing to encourage lifelong communities. Without places for young people to move into, or places for older people to downsize to, our communities die. Rural crime, rarely acknowledged like urban crime, must stop blighting our neighbourhoods. Public rights of way must also be funded and maintained properly, so everyone can respect and enjoy our beautiful countryside. And finally, let’s commit fully to economic growth in rural communities. We need more than coffee shops, we need dynamic businesses, generating wealth and attracting the best talent.