Our countryside is home to beautiful landscapes, spectacular views and some of Britain’s most loved towns and villages.
But, after 12 years of Labour, rural communities are struggling. Many have been hit hard by the recession; they have had local services withdrawn and power taken away from local people. There is a serious shortage of affordable housing, inadequate public transport and rising poverty. Valuable schools, post offices, pubs and healthcare facilities are under threat.
We desperately need a new government which understands rural areas and cares about them. A Conservative government will breathe new life into the countryside. Our agenda for Rural Action will:
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Respect rural people by giving rural communities a voice to decide their own future and only seek to regulate where self-regulation fails;
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Give power to rural communities, by shifting power and decision-making to communities, so that people have a genuine say over the matters that affect them locally;
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Protect rural services, by considering social value alongside environmental and economic value. We will address the lack of affordable housing through growth which reflects the wishes of local communities, and help rural communities protect the countryside they cherish from development imposed by central government;
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Revive the rural economy, by reducing the barriers to business growth and creating incentives for rural development.
Rural communities need a thriving farming industry - but Britain’s farmers have endured a tough time, faced with animal diseases and excessive regulation.
They need a government that works with them, not against them. So we will:
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Overhaul farming regulations to lift the burden of unnecessary paperwork and inspections;
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Press for reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy which reflect the importance we attach to the environment, the long-term sustainability of UK farming and the relief of global poverty;
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Make it easier to buy British by improving food labelling with our Honest Food Campaign;
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Use public procurement to strengthen the link between food grown in our fields and the meals served in our schools and hospitals.
This co-operation will be crucial in tackling climate change and the threats to our food security – and it will help to rebuild the broken bond of trust between rural communities and the government.