Labour right to woo farming communities but it has a long way to go to winning them over - The Yorkshire Post says

The Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says that Labour will be renegotiating a better deal for farmers with Europe. Mr Reed insists that this will not mean reopening the question of EU membership.

But any renegotiation is not going to be straightforward with the EU as we have already seen.

The trade deals with Australia and New Zealand have thrown British farmers to the wolves. In the process the Government has left the door wide open for Labour in the countryside.

Mr Reed’s promise to “turn the tide” when it comes to declining farming heartlands is comforting. Especially when you have Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former Business Secretary, saying that he welcomed hormone-injected beef from Australia.

Mr Reed would do well to understand the concerns of rural communities better. These places are more diverse and complex than they’re often made out to be.

And there is a long way for Labour to go when it comes to winning over the trust of rural voters.

A recent poll by the CLA (Country Land and Business Association) showed that 65 per cent of those surveyed did not trust Labour to support the countryside.

Safeguards need to be put in place to protect British farmers when it comes to trade deals. As many are beginning to realise, they have a huge role to play when it comes to food security.

The war in Ukraine is a reminder that we cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of the actions of dictators.