Lib Dems launch manifesto with ‘rescue package’ for farmers
© Adobe Stock The Liberal Democrats have launched their election manifesto with a promise to “rescue British farmers from years of Conservative neglect”.
Launching the party’s manifesto on Monday (10 June), party leader Sir Ed Davey accused the Conservative government of taking farmers and rural communities for granted.
He pledged to launch a rescue package for farmers and rural businesses to tackle what he termed “failed rural policies”.
See also: Libs Dems demand extra £1bn/year for farming
The Lib Dems’ election blueprint, entitled For a Fair Deal, includes a chapter on food and farming with five key promises.
These are:
- Introduce a holistic and comprehensive national food strategy to ensure food security, tackle rising food prices, end food poverty and improve health and nutrition.
- Accelerate the rollout of the new Environmental Land Management schemes, properly funding it with an extra £1bn a year to support profitable, sustainable and nature-friendly farming.
- Renegotiate the “botched” Australian and New Zealand trade deals and ensure the high animal welfare and environmental standards of British farmers’ standards are not undercut.
- Negotiate comprehensive veterinary and plant health agreements with the EU, to allow British farmers to trade with our European neighbours with minimal need for checks.
- Support farmers properly in restoring woodland and peatland, creating new natural flood protections and managing land to encourage species recovery and carbon storage, while producing food.
The Lib Dems’ manifesto also includes a number of significant pledges for rural areas.
If the party is elected, or forms part of a government on 4 July, it has pledged to ensure gigabit broadband is available to all homes and businesses in rural areas.
The manifesto states that improving rural connectivity, particularly broadband and mobile, “starts with the hardest to reach areas first”.
The Lib Dems have vowed to expand fuel duty relief in rural areas, by doubling the number of areas covered. The party has also promised to bring back bus routes that have been axed in rural areas.
Mental health hubs for young people in every community, including regular check-ups at key points in their lives when they are vulnerable is included in the manifesto.
No increases to the rate of income tax, VAT or National Insurance contributions is also pledged.
The Lib Dems hope their manifesto pledges will win over disillusioned Conservative voters and they are targeting dozens of seats in so-called “blue wall” areas of southern England.
‘Botched’ trade deals
Sir Ed Davey told the Telegraph: “After years of being taken for granted by the Conservative Party, many people in rural and farming communities are switching to the Liberal Democrats.
“The cost-of-living crisis, botched trade deals, and lack of investment with rural infrastructure have hit them hard, and the Conservatives have failed to protect them.
“That’s why we’ve set out a rural rescue package and would put a minister in Whitehall to champion rural communities.
“Liberal Democrats will stand up for rural people and give them the fair deal they badly need.”
The Conservatives are expected to launch their election manifesto on Tuesday (11 June), with Labour due to launch theirs on Thursday.
The Scottish National Party will launch their manifesto this afternoon (10 June), while the Green Party will launch theirs on Wednesday. Reform UK is expected to launch their manifesto next week.