Tories losing rural residents’ support over planning rules

LABORIOUS planning rules are losing the Conservative Party support in rural areas, a survey has found.

It is predicted that 38 per cent of countryside residents will vote Conservative in the next election, down from 46 per cent in 2019, whereas Labour’s share of the vote is predicted to increase 7 points to 36 per cent.

Mark Tufnell, president of the Country Land and Business Association, which commissioned the survey of 1,000 people, said the results show that any party which commits to bolstering the rural economy is likely to win a great deal of support.

He said odious planning rules are likely to be part of the reason why support for the Conservatives has declined, as the regime treats the countryside “as a sort of museum” and holds back the economy.

“We have so many businesses that could expand, that could grow and create good new jobs, but government too often gets in the way,” said Mr Tufnell.