England's green and pleasant land goes red as voters in more than half of the most rural constituencies switch support to Labour - as environmentalist Tory MPs say Brexit freedoms must be used to help

In a report endorsed by 27 MPs the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) is calling for inheritance tax on farmland to be abolished where farmers have improved the natural landscape. 

While Mr Hunt's safety in his Surrey seat has long been called into question, a defeat for Sir Jacob would be a major upset, as he sits on a majority of more than 14,000.

Other big-hitters at risk according to the CLA are ministers Mark Harper, Andrea Leadsom and Mel Stride, and ex-minister Liam Fox. 

Its president, Victoria Vyvyan said: 'People living in the countryside are ambitious – they want to start businesses, create jobs and grow the economy but for decades, governments of all colours have treated the countryside as a museum, failing to generate the conditions necessary for growth.

'This poll makes it clear that rural voters up and down the country feel politically homeless and disconnected from central government – but their votes are still up for grabs. Whichever party produces a robust and ambitious plan for growth in the rural economy will undoubtedly secure support.

'For the good of our rural communities and the nation as a whole, now is the time for the main parties to make it clear that they will back the countryside.'

In its report today CEN warns farmers are facing new challenges linked to climate change and increasing cost pressures hammering the industry. 

It wants ministers to reintroduce the £2.8billion Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme which pays farmers to make landscape and habitat improvements.

The abolishment of IHT would be linked to the scheme, and carried out via the Agricultural Property Relief rebate.

It also wants a supply chain review to ensure farmers are getting fair prices and relaxed planning rules to make it easier for farmers to convert buildings into shops.

MP James Gray, who sits on the Environmental Audit Committee, said: 'This government has a strong track-record on using our post-Brexit freedoms to support farmers to farm sustainably. We should go further by abolishing Inheritance Tax for land which is delivering benefits for nature, as CEN's manifesto proposes. 

'Currently, agricultural property relief on inheritance tax only applies to agricultural land. This threatens to discourage farmers from using their land for promoting biodiversity and entering our post-Brexit farming schemes, whilst punishing those who are already boosting nature. The Chancellor should use the next Budget to announce this sensible tax cut which could deliver real benefits for our natural world.' 

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