‘Keep farming budget intact’

The former Cabinet ministers added that although such schemes were becoming “increasingly popular”, the reported Labour cutbacks meant they were “now under threat”.

“This cut has been estimated to reduce the amount of farmland under the new schemes by 239,000 hectares in England at a time when food security and our natural environment have never been more important,” they said.

“When it comes to supporting farmers, strengthening food security and restoring nature, the Government needs to put its money where its mouth is and keep the farming budget intact or – better still – increase it in line with inflation.”

The letter was also signed by six former Tory ministers at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Sir Robert Goodwill, Mark Spencer, Victoria Prentis, Rebecca Pow, Lord Goldsmith and David Rutley.

Kitty Thompson, the senior nature programme manager at the Conservative Environment Network, said: “Three of the new Environment Secretary’s stated priorities depend directly on the nature-friendly farming budget.

“The new Government’s plan to cut this key budget for delivering long-term food security, nature recovery and flood resilience is as short-sighted as it is foolish.”

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