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about this blogRead moreThe Countryside Alliance has produced a manifesto for the countryside which highlights several key issues which truly matter to those who live and work in the countryside; from tackling rural crime and increasing the provision of affordable rural housing to ensuring universal access to high speed broadband and mobile phone signal. Download it here and use the hashtag #ruralvote on social media.
The five top rural priorities outlined by the Countryside Alliance's Rural Charter are as follows:
- Make Brexit work for the countryside
- Buy British by supporting our farmers and producers
- Recognise the importance of wildlife management and the value of hunting, shooting and fishing
- Connect the countryside by delivering first class digital infrastructure
- Tackle crime in rural areas
The importance of the rural vote should not be underestimated and this will be a crucial election for the countryside, perhaps even more than for the rest of the country. The next government will be the first since 1973 to create a policy for British agriculture and the management of the countryside. Rural communities, and the landscapes they conserve, must therefore be a focus for politicians of all parties that aspire to government. This is why we have produced a Rural Charter to ensure elected politicians have an understanding of the countryside and champion it in Westminster.
Our countryside is a national treasure admired around the world but it is also a home and workplace for millions of people. Those who live and work there can be forgiven for feeling that the countryside is often treated as a theme park, not receiving the political support and action it needs and deserves. Rural life presents specific challenges, and candidates that aspire to government must recognises and prioritise these accordingly.
Watch our complete guide to voting in the General Election
If you have any queries about any of the issues on which we campaign, please contact [email protected]
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