Labour is primarily an urban party with no interest in or understanding of the needs of rural communities. Its policies reflect this bias.

Rural communities are suffering from economic changes, the decline of local services, migration of young people and the destruction of local environments. British farmers have suffered from years of uncertainty and structural change within the industry. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is in desperate need of reform because chronic over production is lowering the real prices paid to farmers and leads to environmental damage.

The Conservatives complain about the CAP without putting forward anything better.

• Replace the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) with a Common Rural Policy which would give support to agriculture, other rural industries and encourage the extensification of farming.
• Introduce Countryside Management Contracts to give farmers and land owners more choice about what they produce to get EU subsidies.
• Take urgent action to prevent the export of animals for rearing or slaughter until acceptable and enforceable European standards are in place.
• Provide services locally, supporting village schools, community hospitals and exempting rural post offices from business rates.
• To Support a long term aim to double the area of the UK under forestry and to achieve tighter environmental controls on mineral extraction's.
• Introduce measures to reduce over-fishing.