Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey visited North Shropshire on Saturday with a packed agenda aimed at getting politics out of Westminster and hearing local voices.
Ed started by launching the new Liberal Democrat campaigning HQ at Maypole Court in Wem, a statement of intent that will see the Lib Dems put down a long-term footprint in North Shropshire. The team then headed out to Loppington, knocking on doors to a very positive reception in the former Conservative stronghold.
Alongside local MP Helen Morgan, Ed first toured Bentley Farm, Noneley. Local farmer Neil Brown showed Ed and Helen around the site and ran through some of the issues being faced by the sector. Neil raised the huge rises in wheat prices, energy costs, and the fall of the basic payment scheme for farmers as major issues for his and other local farms. Trade deals with the USA and Canada were also raised as a major issue, and likely to water down standards in the industry.
Neil Brown said: “It was good to welcome Ed and Helen here because I think they have an understanding of the rural community and the problems faced by farmers who work in it.”
The second visit was to Pimhill Farm, an innovative organic Shropshire farm just outside of Harmer Hill. Ginny Mayall and Ian Anderson, the operators of the farm, hosted a discussion including NFU Shropshire County Adviser Ed Garrett and local farmer / regenerative agriculture specialist Ed Tate.
Conversation at Pimhill included the strong opposition of local farmers to government plans which could see imported chlorinated chicken hitting supermarket shelves, rising inflation making it more difficult than ever to stay in business, and controversial ‘offsetting’ whereby small farms are bought up by wealthy individuals and businesses for tree planting, to the detriment of the industry. The revival of the Liberal Democrats in rural areas – notably here in Shropshire, across the border in Powys, and in recent local election wins in Somerset – was also a topic of discussion.
Finally, Ed was pleased to unveil a plaque opening a new ‘co-working’ space at Soulton Hall, just outside Wem. The Engine Room will be open for business soon as a flexible office space in a beautiful heritage setting just outside Wem.
Helen Morgan MP said: “It was a real pleasure to show Ed Davey around some of the most rural parts of North Shropshire and to give the farming community a chance to share their concerns with a national leader. “The Liberal Democrats are winning again in the countryside and are on an upward trajectory in rural areas across the country. We are working as hard as we can to listen to rural communities that have been taken for granted by this government.”
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