It takes backbone to stand up and fight for farmers

THIS Government’s reputation in the countryside is shot.

- By Victoria Atkins

A 'reset' with the European Union may cost UK farms up to £810m and threaten jobs in the rural economy

With rising food prices for us all, a record number of farm closures last year and the Family Farm Tax Fiasco causing 14 months of angst for farming families, its incompetence and carelessness is plain for all to see.Since the election, every time British farmers have needed Labour to back them, they have been let down.

In addition to the broken electoral promise concerning the Family Farm Tax, farm funding was withdrawn without warning last year, with no scheme to replace it, meaning thousands of farmers are struggling to survive.

More red tape and costs are threatened in the Water White Paper, and Labour’s addiction to higher taxes and business costs are, in part, causing rising food prices for us all.

Last week, another attack on farming and the countryside was uncovered.

A trade report warned that Labour’s “reset” with the European Union could cost UK farms up to £810million, as well as lose 9,000 jobs in the rural economy and UK food and manufacturing industries.