Green and pleasant land? Labour has lots to offer rural Britain
Paul Salveson
Labour has never had an easy relationship with the countryside. Some socialists have seen rural Britain as a haven for reactionaries, reflecting Marx’s jibe about ‘the idiocy of rural life’. Reality is more complex, and Labour has often intervened effectively in rural areas, winning council and parliamentary seats by long-term campaigning. Even so, it was only in 1945 and then in 1997 we really won hearts and minds of rural Britain and much of that supporthas withered away.
So is rural Britain worth bothering about? It has to be if we are to present ourselves as party which really does ‘speak for Britain’. It’s essential if we’re to win a working majority at the next General Election. It’s encouraging that Mary Creagh as Labour’s front bench spokesperson has made such an impressive start, particularly over the sale of woodlands.
‘Rural Britain’ is a highly diverse place and can’t be reduced to stereotypes. Government policy has long recognised a distinction between ‘deep rural’ and the increasingly typical ‘semi-rural’ areas, often on the fringes of large conurbations. The South Pennines, where I live,has long had a mix of hill farming, textiles and coal mining. Some of the farming has survived but little of the textiles and none of the mining. Instead, there has been a growth in small businesses, with young entrepreneurs choosing to live here because of the quality of life. More and more people commute into the cities, either by car or by train. No, this isn’t ‘deep rural’ but it’s not urban either. And a lot of people living here are neither traditional rural Toriesnor ‘dyed in the wool’ Labour voters.
We need to get away from a one-dimensional approach to rural policy. The days of a sizeable – and stable - agricultural workforce employed by a local landowner have long gone. Agriculture is highly mechanised employing migrant labour which is often transient. There are really big issues around the future of agriculture and food which go way beyond employment issues. But it isn’t really a ‘rural’ issue as such at all - it’s about what we eat and how it is produced. The issues in many rural communities relate to small business development, broadband access, tourism, transport and local services.
In many parts of rural Britain tourism is a much bigger employer than agriculture. We can’t afford to dismiss these as ‘not real jobs’. If encouraged in the right way, tourism can sustain local businesses, protect rural services and provide meaningful employment which is infinitely more rewarding than working in a meat processing factory.
New businesses can provide services for both local people and visitors. Pennine communities like Todmorden have created mini-industries in areas like local food with the ‘Incredible Edible Todmorden’ initiative. In my own village we now have an organic bakery run as a workers’ co-operative and ‘The Green Valley Grocers’, a successful community co-op. Both provide good jobs, offer high quality and affordable food and have become a draw for visitors as well as a service for local people. Cultural industries are thriving in many rural areas, bringing in visitors for festivals and galleries and creating jobs.There is enormous potential for eco-businesses such as Colne Valley-based Green Building Store.
What should Labour be doing to support these initiatives? The sharp decline in local authority funding and abolition of the regional development agencies has had a major impact on new business growth in areas like mine and it’s going to get much worse. A light touch is needed to provide a culture of support which facilitates networking and start-up assistance. Many small businesses need support in the early days when modest grant aid can make all the difference between take-off orhaving a good idea which never comes to fruition.
Underpinning that support should be investment inlocal infrastructure, particularly public transport but also in communications; many rural areas don’t yet have broadband. Good rail and bus services benefit local people but they also bring intourists, without the downside of the private car. Traffic congestion in many rural areas is now a problem and spoils the very tranquillity that people come to the countryside to experience. Railway stations serve town and village centres and encourage visitors to use local shops, pubs and cafes. Rail and bus travel can be part of the tourist experience itself, offering a relaxing way to enjoy the scenery. Coalition cuts seriously threaten rural bus services and there is no certainty about the long-term survival of the rural rail network. We should be exploring the scope for combined bus and rail franchises in rural areas with encouragement to not for profit operators.
Labour needs to position itself as a supportive friend in rural communities, with the party playing an active role in business and community organisations and getting involved in the work of parish and town councils. At national level, we need to develop policies which will support small business development and socially inclusive, sustainable communities.
Dr Paul Salveson
(Paul is secretary of Kirklees Labour Party Rural Policy Group)