Farmers protested the death duty (Image: Getty)
Andy Burnham has been urged to reset his government’s relationship with rural Britain as campaigners say Labour has imposed 27 policies harmful to their community.
A new campaign, set to be launched this month, will see a ‘Campaign for the Countryside’ aimed at protecting Britain’s green and pleasant land and the millions of people who call it home.
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Millions of Britons love the countryside, and the businesses it supports generate some £300bn a year to the economy as well as supporting more than 4 million jobs.
Campaigners, speaking to the Daily Express, stress that not only is it a place of work and home, but also hosts sport and recreation such as walking, riding, hunting, racing and fishing.
Yet rural groups fear that a range of policies set in Whitehall over the past two years have wreaked havoc on the countryside.
Those policies range from the hated Family Farm Tax, which saw Britain’s farmers dragged into death duties for the first time ever, all the way through the national insurance hikes on rural business.
There have even been new affordability checks imposed on horse and greyhound, adding millions to industry bills.
The Countryside Alliance, who are spearheading the campaign, point to the newly minted Prime Ministers pledge for good growth in every postcode – warning that one in every four are rural.
Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: “The timing of this campaign and event is significant.
“After two years where an unprecedented range of government policies have left rural people feeling under attack, a new Prime Minister provides an opportunity for the government to reset its relationship with rural Britain and recognise the contribution the countryside can make to the whole country.
“Andy Burnham has talked about growth in every postcode and the need to listen to all parts of the country. The countryside is ready to play its part.
“Rural people are not asking government to solve every problem overnight. They are asking to be heard, understood and treated fairly.
“It is time to treat the countryside as part of the solution to a united Britain, not a problem or an afterthought. We are asking the government to work with rural communities, not against them. Now is the time for a rural reset.”
A government spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has pledged to deliver growth in every postcode and put power back into the hands of local communities.
“We recognise the vital role rural communities play, and the challenges they face – that’s why we’re backing our commitment to them with real investment.
“This includes a record £11.8bn into sustainable farming and food production, to build a profitable, productive and resilient farming sector that supports growth across the country.”