• What We Stand For
  • Environment
    • Rural Affairs

Rural Affairs

There are serious problems for people who live in the countryside. Local schools, hospitals and shops are under pressure and many face closure, houses are too expensive, there are hardly any buses to get around and farmers are getting a raw deal from the big supermarkets.

Liberal Democrats stand up for local people. No matter where you live, local services should be affordable and accessible. We want rural Britain to be vibrant, alive and open to all. We want living communities with affordable homes and successful economies - we understand rural Britain like no other party. We have a higher proportion of our MPs representing rural seats than any other mainstream party, and we represent all sections of our rural communities, not just the wealthy. We are proud of rural Britain and we are passionate about giving it new life.

Affordable housing in rural areas – There is a severe lack of affordable homes in many rural areas, meaning young people often have no choice but to move away far from their families and communities. We will provide more homes for local people by increasing councils’ powers over second homes and promoting schemes for affordable homes.

Liberal Democrats want first class services in rural areas, and we understand that the Post Office and village pubs are a vital lynchpin of many communities. We want to deliver broadband coverage and quality in rural areas, give councils’ greater powers to regulate bus services according to rural community needs, and reduce fuel duty in remote areas.

Our farmers are some of the most entrepreneurial in the world, producing food of outstanding quality to the highest environmental and animal welfare standards. Farmers don’t want to be given subsidies, but they do want to receive a fair payment for their hard work.

Farmers and consumers should both get a fair price for food by creating a legally binding supermarket code, enforced by an independent Food Market Regulator. Cutting red tape will ensure prompt farm payments and reforming farming apprenticeships to ensure there is a new generation of British farmers.