Voters will have the opportunity to quiz candidates at the upcoming hustings event in Sidmouth on Wednesday 19th June – with more information to follow…
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A fortnight ago, these pages looked at the issues around winning the rural/farming/countryside vote: ‘what the next government must do’.
The Rural Services Network has a further set of such points in their engaging PPCs in the Winning the Rural Vote Campaign:
As members of the Rural Services Network (RSN), our collective commitment to advocating for the needs of rural communities remains unwavering. With the deadline for Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) to submit or withdraw applications by 7th June fast approaching, our focus now turns to directly engaging with these candidates in rural constituencies to communicate our rural priorities effectively.
In preparation for this pivotal interaction, the RSN has compiled a comprehensive bank of hustings questions under our “Winning the Rural Vote” campaign. These questions are designed to challenge and encourage PPCs to commit to actionable plans that address the unique challenges facing rural areas. We urge all members to actively participate by posing these questions at local hustings to ensure rural issues are a central part of the election discourse.
And the issue of ‘securing the rural vote’ has certainly been gaining momentum.
As reported today, Labour and Tories spar over support for the countryside in their pitch for rural votes:
Labour has pledged to treat countryside communities with “respect” and tackle issues including housing and rural crime as the party spars with the Tories for the rural vote. In a speech to the Future Countryside conference in Syon Park, west London, shadow environment secretary Steve Reed said Labour would devolve power to rural communities and had a plan to give them their “future back”. But Environment Secretary Stephen Barclay told the delegates from farming, conservation and rural organisations that the election is a choice between those who care for the countryside and those not in tune with rural areas.
According to the Farmer’s Guardian, however, there is now a breakdown in rural vote allegiance, which leaves Consevatives struggling at the polls. And in the meantime, Labour is targeting traditionally Tory northern rural seats.
It is not clear as yet, however, what effect this will have on the new seat of Honiton and Sidmouth.
Voters will have the opportunity to quiz candidates at the upcoming hustings event in Sidmouth on Wednesday 19th June – with more information to follow…
A glimpse of the East Devon countryside – geograph.org.uk – 1451327.jpg – Wikimedia Commons
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