Rural campaigners fight election
22 May 2001
Rural campaigners fight election
By Johann Tasker
A FARMER, rural campaigners and members of minority parties are standing for election to Parliament to highlight the crisis in the countryside.
A number of candidates emerged in the run-up to the deadline for prospective MPs to put their names forward, which expired at 4pm on Tuesday (22 May).
Prime Minister Tony Blairs Sedgefield constituency in north-east England will be contested by Farmers For Action spokesman Andrew Spence.
Mr Spence, who helped organise last years fuel protests, is standing as a candidate on behalf of the UK Independence Party.
“I feel totally let down by the Government and that is why I am planning to stand,” he said. “We are a genuine industry with genuine problems.”
In Scotland, Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy will see his Ross, Skye & Inverness West seat contested by Jim Crawford.
Mr Crawford is a founder of the Countryside Party which has prepared a seven-page black-and-white manifesto outlining policies for rural Britain.
The Countryside Party, which will be a year old on Thursday (24 May). Its supporters include members of the Sportsmans Association (SA).
“We have no illusions of taking power, but we intend to exert a positive influence in British politics,” said SA secretary Richard Ormrod.
In Harwich, Clive Lawrance is expected to stand as an independent candidate supported by pig farmers to highlight the issue of illegally imported meat.
Mr Lawrance is managing director of Ciel Logistics, a company which is employed to remove impounded meat from Heathrow.
He has featured prominently in the media, revealing the extent of the problem at UK airports and ports since the start of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.
“I want to voice concerns at the tremendous amount of illegally imported meat still coming into this country and support farmers hit by foot-and-mouth.”
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