How will you ensure the protection and enhancement of UK food security, support sustainable farming practices, and balance food production needs with environmental commitments and renewable energy installations?
I represent an amazing rural constituency that has fantastic farmers and food producers. I meet regularly with my farmers and producers and campaign on the issues that matter to them. As we face a period of opposition, we need to re-establish ourselves as being a strong voice for rural Britain and campaign on those issues across the country.
At the general election we lost seats in rural communities to Lib Dems as well as to Labour and the Greens. We now have to deal with a Labour Government that shows contempt for rural Britain but also Lib Dem and Green MPs who will take advantage of incumbency.
We’ve been here before when we were last in Opposition and I worked with William Hague when he was Party Leader and then as a parliamentary candidate with David Cameron to re-establish ourselves as a rural political force. I’ve learned from that experience and if I am elected Party Leader, I will work with the Conservative Rural Forum to engage with interested members in our party and wider interests to develop compelling policies that will earn back the trust of rural Britain. My commitment to reform and democratise our Party and empower our membership will also mean we can do more to support local campaigning to win back seats lost on local councils and Police and Crime Commissioners as we work towards winning back seats at the next General Election.
Like other businesses and entrepreneurs, I know our farmers and food producers are keen to innovate, farm in ways that are environmentally sensitive and sustainable and invest in new technologies as well as diversify. To do that and to be able to compete internationally, we need to ensure we work with them to reduce the burdens and regulations they face and look and changes to the system of taxes and reliefs that can benefit them. In opposition, we also have the time to review and consider how the post-CAP farm payments system is operating and new trade agreements we have in place.
As well as reviewing policies, we have to promote and champion British food. Around 60% of food consumed in the UK is produced here and it is in all of our interests to press for more to be produced here and for the public sector, through supply chains and procurement, to support British and local producers. The agri-food sector is worth around £150bn of gross value added to our economy and supports 4 million jobs.
That’s why we need to protect our best agricultural land from development and Labour’s planning reforms pose a serious threat to that. While we all want to see more homes and more renewable energy production, this cannot be at the expense of domestic food production.
What specific policies will you implement to support rural communities, in areas such as maintaining broadband and mobile coverage, addressing rural crime, improving rural public transport and banking facilities, and ensuring housing for local residents while preserving rural character and landscape?
In opposition, we need to engage widely to develop the compelling and credible policies needs to earn back the trust of the British people and win back seats at all levels of government. For our rural communities, we need to continue to champion the importance of broadband, 5G and digital infrastructure being installed. Over the last 14 years significant progress was made but there are still communities and businesses that need better access to faster broadband. For banking, we must continue to press for the protection of cash and the roll out of banking hubs in areas where bank branches have been lost.
As a former Home Secretary, I know how important it is to keep rural communities safe from crime and the damage that thefts, fly-tipping and other offences can cause. That’s why I delivered the 20,000 uplift in police numbers so that Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners have the resources they need to prioritise rural crime.
In relation to housing, as a Conservative committed to promoting home ownership, I want to see more local homes built for local families in ways that deliver the local infrastructure and public services communities need. That’s why I have been consistent in raising the importance of local neighbourhood plans. Local communities are best-placed to identify the most appropriate sites for housing and business growth that are sensitive to local landscapes, rural areas and which can provide appropriate new infrastructure and public services.
How will you support the economic development of rural areas beyond farming, including initiatives to boost local businesses, enhance public services, and create job opportunities to ensure the vitality and sustainability of rural economies?
Representing a rural constituency, I know how important it is for rural and coastal towns and villages to have a critical mass of businesses to support investment and jobs. If I am the next Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party, I will promote free enterprise and businesses. We all know that businesses and entrepreneurs are at their best when Government empowers them through keeping taxes down and easing regulatory burdens.
I would also work with Conservatives across the country to see how we can do more to support growth in the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors and investment in rural enterprises at local levels as well as nationally.
Read what the other leadership contenders had to say.