Why some farmers are turning away from the Tories

Image source, Getty Images

Traditionally British farmers have been a solid support base for the Conservatives, but as they struggle with rising costs and policy changes, the mood is shifting in a way that could benefit the Liberal Democrats.

One of farming's most influential voices magnified the Conservatives' troubles when they lost a by-election in rural North Shropshire last year.

National Farmers Union President Minette Batters wrote in the Daily Mail that the Conservatives must stop ignoring farmers.

She warned that the results of the local elections this month would be bad for the Conservatives, with the Liberal Democrats and Labour winning in Cumbria.

Farmers are included in the voters because of the economic shocks and reforms that have taken place.

Is the government listening? Some farmers told the BBC that they don't think so.

James Small, a livestock farmer from Somerset, asks who he trusts.

He says he is more Conservative than anything else, but has become very disappointed with the party's approach to agriculture.

Image source, James Small

Mr Small voted for the Liberal Democrats in the local elections. Conservatives had been in charge of the council in the area since 2009.

The result probably reflects the national mood and the Conservatives strong agenda against the rural setting.

The government says it acts in the best interests of farmers like Mr Small, with sweeping reforms to farming following the UK's departure from the EU.

Direct payments to farmers have been phased out under the EU scheme.

In England, payments will be gradually cut until 2027, while new subsidy schemes linked to environmental objectives are rolled out.

Mr Small is considering reducing production in order to make up for lost income.

Victoria Prentis says it would not be right to abandon the phase-out as they mostly benefit larger land owners.

She says that Labour and the Liberal Democrats don't want to address inequality.

Mr Small says he is not decrying the subsidy cuts.

He says the NFU president's speech in February was a good snapshot of how farmers felt.

The NFU president said that the government has conflicting policies on farming and that it was raising the bar for environmental standards at home but pursuing trade deals which support lower standards overseas.

She was critical of the government's response to the pig farming crisis.

A shortage of abattoir workers has resulted in mass slaughters of healthy pigs and high feed prices.

The industry has lost over 500 million dollars since October 2020, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

The cost of production on Anna Longthorp's pig farm is higher than it has ever been before.

Ms Longthorp, who rears free-range pigs near a village west of Hull, says it has been an awful time.

Image source, Anna Longthorp

The Longthorps have weathered their fair share of bad times.

Farmers are never going to get over the distress of having to kill healthy pigs.

They are going to be haunted by that for the rest of their lives.

While the government has ordered a review looking at the fairness in supply chains, Ms Longthrop says the solutions don't come fast enough.

The entire supply chain is broken and we have been shouting and shouting for a long time.

If there was a general election this year, Ms Longthrop would not vote for Tories.

The Liberal Democrats gained more than 200 council seats in this month's local elections, many of them in rural areas.

Tim Farron, the party's rural affairs spokesman, says that these voters are turning to the Liberal Democrats because they know they are fighting for rural communities.

Neil Parish, a former Conservative Member of Parliament, resigned over watching porn in Parliament.

The chairman of Chancellor Rishi Sunak's constituency association in North Yorkshire insists that there is support for the Conservatives in rural areas.

The Conservatives gained control of a new council in North Yorkshire because farmers and rural voters believe in prudent management of public finances.

He says that the Conservatives need to back Boris Johnson because they need to keep the message that they are a party of sound finances and not worry about the consequences later.

Robert Craig, a dairy farmer from Cumbria, deserted the Conservatives.

He was president of the Conservative Association in Penrith and The Border for many years.

Mr Craig resigned in solidarity with Mr Stewart, who was suspended from the Conservatives for rebelling against the government's agenda.

Mr Craig says he doesn't associate himself with the current Conservative administration.

Mr Craig did not vote in the recent local elections, which Labour said was a turning point for the party.

In places like Cumbria, where Labour won a new council, farmers feel betrayed by the lack of support and voters have decided the Conservatives are out of touch.

Image source, Robert Craig

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He says labour shortages are the biggest challenge for his dairy businesses.

The committee of MPs said last year that there were 500,000 job vacancies in the food and farming sector.

The government opened up more opportunities for skilled labour from abroad by extending the seasonal workers scheme. There are still unfilled vacancies.

Mr Craig says they are struggling.

He explains that we are seeing huge spikes in energy and other production costs.

He welcomes the government's support to help with cash flow.

The key figures from 2020.

• 4.1 billion total income from farming.

• The economy has a contribution of 0.49%.

• The workforce has a share of 1.44%.

• The land used by farmers is a majority.

• 9% of carbon emissions.

• The value of food and drink exports.

Farming has become a political issue following the transition to an independent agricultural policy.

Jonathan Roberts is the director of external affairs at the Country Land and Business Association.

To keep farmers on board with the reforms, the government has to manage the process carefully, says Mr Roberts.

He says that for too long, the government has been geared towards treating the countryside as a museum, and now rural communities are in a mood to say "I'm not going to vote in the way I always have."

Ms Small, Ms Longthrop and Mr Craig have all turned their backs on the Conservatives for now.

What would it take for them to vote Conservative again?

Mr Small says that the Tories need to present a coherent plan for farming. For Mr Craig, the party needs to encourage people into a future of farming.

Both have bold demands, but Ms Longthrop has a more modest one.

She says talking to farmers would be a good start.