Labour is facing a serious challenge in winning over rural communities, with new polling showing that only 15 per cent of people living in the countryside believe the party genuinely cares about them.
The ORB International survey, commissioned by the Countryside Alliance, found that just one in seven rural residents feel Labour understands the concerns of people who live and work outside Britain’s towns and cities.
The figures come as the Countryside Alliance prepares to launch its new Campaign for the Countryside in Westminster, where senior figures from both sides of the political divide are expected to call for a fresh approach to rural Britain.
Poll Finds Deep Dissatisfaction With Government
The survey also points to widespread frustration with the Government’s approach to rural communities.
Around 43 per cent of rural residents said they believed the Government had effectively “waged war on the countryside”, highlighting the depth of dissatisfaction over policies affecting farming, land use and rural traditions.
However, the polling also suggests that Labour has an opportunity to rebuild support.
Some 28 per cent of people living in rural areas said they would be more inclined to vote for the party if it repaired its relationship with the countryside.
Countryside Alliance Demands a Reset
The Countryside Alliance is urging Andy Burnham to take steps towards rebuilding relations between the Government and rural communities.
The organisation’s campaign comes amid continued anger over Labour’s controversial changes to inheritance tax affecting family farms.
The policy triggered major protests from farmers before the Government ultimately announced a U-turn.
Members of the alliance gathered in Parliament Square on Sunday, accompanied by working dogs, as they highlighted their concerns over policies they believe threaten rural traditions and livelihoods.
Tim Bonner Warns Labour Against Ignoring Rural Concerns
Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner said the polling demonstrated both the scale of the problem and the potential benefits of changing course.
“These findings are powerful because they show not only how crucial it is for the Government to undo the mistakes of the past, but also the opportunity which a rural reset could bring,” he said.
Mr Bonner argued that ministers should reconsider policies that have generated opposition among rural voters and concentrate on issues that matter directly to those communities.
He also warned that the Government risked losing support by pursuing policies that the wider public did not regard as priorities.
Lord Blunkett Calls for Trail Hunting Plan to Be Dropped
Labour grandee Lord Blunkett is among those calling for a change in approach.
The former home secretary, who has been described by Mr Burnham as his “truest mentor”, is due to address the Westminster campaign alongside former Conservative prime minister Lord Cameron.
Lord Blunkett has urged the new Prime Minister to abandon plans inherited from his predecessor to ban trail hunting.
Trail hunting involves packs of hounds following an artificial scent rather than pursuing a live fox. Supporters describe it as a rural activity, while opponents have long campaigned against it.
Speaking ahead of the campaign launch, Lord Blunkett said dissatisfaction among countryside residents extended beyond individual policies to concerns about government services and the way rural communities are treated.
Blunkett Says Rural Communities Need a Fresh Relationship
Lord Blunkett said a reset between the Government and the countryside was necessary, arguing that policymakers needed to better understand the realities faced by people outside major urban centres.
He acknowledged that some previous decisions, including those concerning family farms and inheritance tax, could not simply be reversed.
However, he argued that ministers could learn from the controversy and avoid repeating mistakes that may appear reasonable from a London or urban perspective but have very different consequences for rural communities.
He pointed to the role farmers and rural residents play in food production, leisure and maintaining the countryside as reasons for greater understanding between government and rural Britain.
Government Defends Its Rural Record
The Government has rejected the suggestion that it is turning its back on rural communities and insisted that rebuilding trust with farmers remains a priority.
A Government spokesman said ministers were committed to delivering economic growth across the country and recognised farmers as central to rural communities.
The spokesman pointed to measures including support for farmers during an exceptionally dry summer and billions of pounds of investment in sustainable farming and food production.
“This is the start of a new conversation with farmers and rural communities as we work together to build a stronger future for British farming and unlock growth in rural areas,” the spokesman said.
