Senior figures in the food and farming industry have warned the Conservatives that the next prime minister cannot take the rural vote for granted.
Boris Johnson will announce his resignation as Tory party leader on Thursday 7 July in a statement to the country, but he is expected to stay on as PM until the autumn. A leadership contest for the new leader will begin.
Mr Johnson’s resignation follows days of immense pressure from his own MPs, including a wave of more than 50 resignations from the Conservative party, including chancellor Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid.
See also: Johnson’s plans for food and farming attacked as ‘half-baked’
The PM had vowed to “keep going”, but after Nadim Zahawi, whom Mr Johnson had only appointed as new chancellor on Tuesday 5 July, told him his position was “unsustainable”, the pressure became too much.
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents 28,000 landowners, farmers, rural business owners and professionals in England and Wales, warned the next Tory leader faces an “uphill battle” to win back the trust of rural voters.
CLA president Mark Tufnell said: “Rural communities feel ignored, angry, and forgotten about. And for good reason.
“The rural economy is 18% less productive than the national average, leading to a stagnant economy and limited aspiration. Boris Johnson had no plans to fix this chronic problem – the next prime minister must.”
Rural connectivity issues
“Less than half of rural areas have adequate 4G coverage, let alone 5G. Rural homes remain even less affordable than those in urban areas, while rural jobs pay less.
“Despite all this, the rural economy was nowhere to be seen in the Levelling Up White Paper.”
The CLA said the next prime minister should have a robust and ambitious plan for the countryside, one that will create jobs and opportunities for everyone.
“This doesn’t require lots of public money, it simply requires a government that understands the potential that rural businesses have to level up the country,” Mr Tufnell added.
CLA polling shows that the Tories and Labour are now neck-and-neck in rural areas – a 7.5% swing since the 2019 general election.
“If the Conservatives wish to prevent the Blue Wall from crumbling further, it must enact a robust plan for the rural economy immediately,” Mr Tufnell stressed. “Otherwise, the party risks losing the hearts and minds of 12 million rural voters.”
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said amid the cost-of-living crisis there is an “urgent need” that ministers who understand the priorities of the countryside are in place.
“Rural communities hold the keys to Number 10 as much as any other group in the country and so it is pivotal that the views of those living in the countryside are not overlooked. Rural people need to know that their way of life will be protected and not subject to discrimination,” he added.
‘Critical time’ – TFA
George Dunn, chief executive of the Tenant Farmers Association, said the sooner a new leader is appointed, the better.
“We are at an extremely critical time for the agricultural industry – both in respect of the Agricultural Transition Plan to replace the old Common Agricultural Policy schemes with new domestic schemes and with the unprecedented supply chain pressures threatening to paralyse many farm businesses,” said Mr Dunn.
But he said he was encouraged to see the government starting to tackle huge issues in farming through the new national food strategy and the work of Baroness Rock’s tenancy working group.
“We must not lose momentum by allowing a political vacuum to continue,” he added.
Farmers divided over Boris Johnson’s resignation
Farmers have given a mixed reaction to the news of Boris Johnson’s impending departure from Number 10.
Berkshire farmer Colin Rayner, director of J Rayner & Sons and an ardent Conservative supporter, told Farmers Weekly the situation was “appalling”.
He said: “Once the media have got rid of Boris, the Tories will elect another leader and the media will get rid of him or her.
“Then, we face the prospect of a general election and the Conservatives will be out of power for a generation and we will have a left wing government for years.
“We have brought it upon ourselves to allow the media – besides Farmers Weekly, of course – to take precedence over the electorate and run the country.”
Commenting on the cost-of-living crisis, Mr Rayner said: “Everybody is struggling, farmers included. The government has got a job to do to run this country, but they are squabbling like they are in the school playground.
“There is not one politician that has got any decency among them. It’s an appalling situation.”
Hill farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, who runs an 809ha farm with vegetables and livestock in Llanfairfechan, north Wales, said: “At the beginning, I thought Boris Johnson was an honest and straight-talking guy. But the further he’s gone in his career, the less trust people have had in him.
“You cannot run the country with lies and misleading information. We really need somebody now with integrity and honesty and a real belief that this country can be great again.”
Asked to outline what he felt should be the new PM’s priorities for farming, Mr Wyn Jones said: “Hopefully, the new leader will have more respect for farmers. We need a proper food security system in place for this country.”
East Yorkshire potato and vegetable grower Guy Poskitt said he was “disappointed” by the turn of events.
“Boris is a great leader, but he is leading us down a bad track. The new PM has got to prioritise the need for food security – the Ukraine war has highlighted it so much; it has to be high on the agenda.”
Who will replace Boris Johnson?
According to betting comparison site Oddschecker, Ben Wallace is the favourite to become the next prime minister. He is priced at 3/1 to take the top job.
Other contenders include: Rishi Sunak (7/2), Penny Mordaunt (5/1), Liz Truss (7/1), Sajid Javid (8/1), and Jeremy Hunt (12/1). Former Defra secretary Michael Gove is priced at 40/1 and current Defra secretary George Eustice can be backed as big as 68/1, with only a handful of bookmakers offering odds on him to become the next PM.
