Ben Stafford: Put our countryside on the election agenda

SPRING may still be some way away, but some creatures are already active; strutting their stuff, staking out their territory and advertising their wares.

Yes, our politicians are limbering up for a General Election that will take place by early summer, and it's you – and your votes – that are the target of their advances.

To many people, the prospect of several months of electioneering induces a feeling of sinking-hearted boredom – time to switch off the television, tune out the radio and think of something else. During the 2001 election, the island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel billed itself as somewhere – without TV, newspapers and with just one telephone – where "politicophobes" could escape the noise of the campaign. But if you can bear it, it's worth remaining engaged, and listening to what our prospective MPs say – and what they don't.

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Some issues always get an airing. Quite rightly, the economy, public services and crime will be hotly debated as, no doubt, will the qualities of the candidates hoping to be Prime Minister. But some topics just seem to drop off the agenda. In recent elections – apart from 2001, when foot-and-mouth disease affected the timing of the poll – the countryside, and how to protect and enhance it, has received very little attention.

This seems odd. Millions of people live and work in the countryside. And millions more visit it, walk in it and take their holidays in it. Groups like the RSPB and the National Trust have many many times more members than all the political parties combined.

So surely it should matter to all of us – whether we live in the countryside or in towns and cities – what politicians want to do to safeguard its unique character, and to make it a better place. Shouldn't our candidates be beating a path to our doors to tell us what they will do to protect the countryside which so many of

us cherish?

The reality, of course, is that politicians respond to the issues that fill up their mailbags, or about which they're being stopped in the streets – they calculate that these are the things that will determine how we vote. So if we want them to put the countryside at the top of their agenda, we need to tell them so.

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Ahead of this election, the Campaign to Protect Rural England has produced its own "manifesto", setting out what we think the next government should do for the countryside. We want it to inspire voters, and candidates, in countryside, town and city. The regeneration of our urban areas, the protection of our most beautiful landscapes and of the precious Green Belts around our towns and cities, and strong action to tackle the blight of litter and fly-tipping would, we believe, improve everyone's quality of life.

Too often in recent times, our political leaders have portrayed the planning system as an irksome brake on progress, stopping vital development. In fact, it's the best way to ensure that decisions on major development take all issues – including the environment and the views of local people – into account. We need the next generation of politicians to fly the flag for strong planning – which can breathe yet more new life into great cities like Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford. High targets for development of brownfield land in towns and cities boost their prosperity and vitality, as well as protecting the countryside around them that is enjoyed by millions of people every day.

The next government should be adamant that our national parks – stunning landscapes like the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors – are no-go areas for intrusive development. These are our most majestic and inspiring areas of countryside; a source of relaxation to countless visitors. Let's make sure they stay that way.

And what about the wider countryside, not protected like national

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parks, but still full of surprising treasures and startling beauty? Isn't it a shame that so much of it is needlessly scarred by litter and fly-tipping, the by-product of the thoughtlessness of a relatively small number of people.

Our politicians should give a national lead in tackling litter. We need a change of culture so everyone recognises that littering is

unacceptable, antisocial – and criminal – behaviour. A clean, beautiful countryside will be a worthwhile prize.

So remember that an election campaign isn't just the politicians' chance to tell you what they think – it's your chance to tell them what matters to you. Now is the time to make sure that protecting the English countryside – a unique and world-renowned asset – is at the top of their lists.

Ben Stafford, from Leeds, is head of campaigns at the Campaign to Protect Rural England. You can find out more about CPRE's manifesto by visiting www.cpre.org.uk