Country mouse asks the Conservatives to improve rural Britain

Country mouse considers the election result.

Country mouse, Country Life magazine
country mouse new

Since the astonishing results of last week’s election, Nicola Sturgeon and her gang are already demanding more for Scotland. However, a far greater ‘silent’ majority won the election.

According to government figures, 5.3 million people live in Scotland whereas 9.3 million people live in rural areas of England. What is quite clear is that it was the rural population of Britain that, more than any other group, voted the Tories to victory and a precious majority.

These rural voters will not only watch carefully that the ruling party’s manifesto promises on hunting, superfast broadband, rail fares, rural post offices, bovine TB, flood defences and local controls on planning are adhered to, but will also, in the manner of the SNP’s calls for more for Scotland, expect and demand more for rural Britain.

This magazine will seek to ensure that more is done on litter, affordable housing and safeguarding our farming industry. There is more research needed on bees and GM crops, more protection required for the green belt and our historic houses and more must be done to promote rural tourism, just for a start. David Cameron should remember that, although Scotland didn’t vote for him, the countryside did. His majority must be used to improve rural Britain.

spectator

Spectator: If you go down to the woods today…

Lucy Baring always seems to miss seeing wildlife.

Mark Hedges
Mark grew up in the Cotswolds near Chipping Norton, in a house now owned by Jeremy Clarkson. After graduating from Durham, Mark worked as a gold prospector and at the leading bloodstock auction house Tattersalls, where he started the concept of the breeze-up sale. He now lives in Hampshire with his wife, who runs an award-winning cheese business (handy as Mark admits to particularly enjoying food that has been prepared by someone else), their three children and two terriers.