Fury as farming left off 'critical industries' list

LABOUR has ignited anger in the countryside after failing to include farming and food production on a list of industries critical to national security.

- BY DAVID WILLIAMSON Chief Political Commentator

Farming is missing from the selection of sectors the Cabinet Office says “matter most to national security — steel, shipbuilding, energy infrastructure and AI”. Efforts are underway to support these industries through the £400million of taxpayers’ money spent each year on government contracts.

Gareth Wyn Jones, a North Wales hill farmer said: “If the country can’t feed itself, it won’t matter how many Al bots we have to play with.

“Farming is always the first to suffer when there’s conflict abroad. We need a government that protects our livelihoods so we can keep putting food on the nation’s tables.”

The Countryside Alliance’s David Bean warned you “can’t eat” steel.