Tories’ rural policies

SIR – Policy affecting rural areas is too often focused on farming and tourism. While both make an important economic contribution, wider rural economies and businesses are overlooked. Their success is hampered by lack of access to skilled labour, training and funding.

Both Conservative leadership candidates have visited the West Country and pledged to “champion the rural way of life”. As they approach the next round of hustings, the Rural Coalition – an alliance of 13 national organisations committed to a living, working countryside – asks them to commit themselves to ensuring that rural communities and businesses receive the attention they deserve.

Rural areas make a vital contribution to the nation’s economic and social well-being, but many are held back by limited opportunities (including access to skills and post-16 education), poor access to health and social services, a lack of affordable housing and higher costs of living, all exacerbated by poor or non-existent public transport. Despite offering solutions for the transition to net zero, rural areas struggle with restricted infrastructure, especially for energy, broadband and mobile phone coverage.

Although home to 9.3 million people, rural areas receive more than 35 per cent less per head in local government funding, and residents pay 20 per cent more in council tax for fewer services. This disparity must be addressed.

We challenge the new prime minister to set out a programme of action for rural areas that unlocks their potential and puts them at the heart of the nation’s future prosperity.

Rt Rev Alan Smith

Bishop of St Albans

President, Rural Coalition

SIR – As the last leader of the now extinct West Somerset District Council, I partially agree with Rishi Sunak’s comments about transferring funding from deprived urban areas.

Before 1997 urban areas received slightly more funding than rural ones. Gordon Brown then shovelled money into the Labour-leaning urban areas, to the detriment of rural ones. Twelve years of Conservative-led government have failed to redress the balance. There is deprivation in the countryside but it is simply harder to see.

Hopefully, as both leadership contenders represent rural constituencies, a rebalancing will take place. The Conservatives must not take their countryside voters for granted. Anthony Trollope-bellew

Taunton, Somerset

SIR – After Liz Truss was heckled, she said she would bring in laws to stop “our democracy being disrupted by unfair protests”. What does she think is “unfair” – being disagreed with? Why are the Tory leadership candidates so terrified of being challenged?

Democracy means being free to say what you feel, or object to something without fear or punishment. We need to be worried by any talk of curtailing free speech and peaceful protest. Alan Lloyd

Liverpool