‘Unlocking the potential of rural Britain must be at the heart of Labour’s mission’

The Conservatives witnessed their lowest support in rural Britain at the last general election since 1997. With a swing of over 14.5% to Labour in rural seats, which was three percent greater than the national average in July 2024.

It is clear that the Conservatives took the rural vote for granted. Last month, they even said so themselves with Conservatives Together admitting that: “The result was not simply a rejection of policy; it was a rejection of complacency.”

When Keir Starmer formed the first Labour government in 14 years, we made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be “rural-proofed”, ensuring that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas. I am working with Labour colleagues to make that commitment a reality.

Research from The Rural Coalition’s “Reigniting Rural Futures” report found that closing the rural-urban productivity gap could add a staggering £87billion into the UK economy.

Rural economies are the sleeping giant of Britain’s growth and prosperity.

Take for instance, I have local businesses in my rural constituency that are world leading in service provision and innovation, such as Baxters in Thetford and British Sugar at Wissington, which recently received £7.5m of funding from the government.

Visiting businesses to understand their challenges and opportunities is a key part of my role as a Member of Parliament and those businesses tell me that having a skilled workforce is key to their success. That’s why I am so pleased that the government is investing in training and young people. This is essential for rural areas; West Suffolk College is one of ten sites across the country that has been selected to host a new state-of-the-art Technical Excellence College. Backed by £100million of investment, these specialist colleges will train over 40,000 future builders, bricklayers, electricians, carpenters, and plumbers in high-demand construction skills by 2029.

READ MORE: Labour Party Conference 2025: Full LabourList events programme, revealed

Linked to that rural-proofing commitment, I was recently a part of the launch of the Labour Rural Research Group (LRRG) alongside 25 other MP colleagues. We’ve just published the first piece of research which surveyed over 1,400 rural voters.

Nearly three-quarters (74.4%) of respondents believe rural communities have been overlooked over the past 15 years, while three in five people (60.7%) feel that their rural communities are in decline.

The LRRG report also highlighted widespread feelings of neglect and over 80% of respondents believe a distinct rural strategy is needed to address challenges unique to rural life, including access to public services, affordable housing, and the future of farming and food production.

It found that healthcare, the environment, and the rural economy top the list of political priorities for rural voters.

I was born and raised in South West Norfolk, so I know first-hand how important rural issues are to my constituents and understand people’s frustrations at rural voices being ignored.

It is clear that improved public services matter to people in places like Norfolk. This includes a need for better health services, particularly GP access and dentistry provision and I very much welcome the government’s investment to date in our local NHS services, including almost £3billion for Norfolk’s two RAAC hospitals. People also want to see action on delays to key infrastructure holding back economic growth, such as the improvements needed for the Ely Junction and improved broadband services.

The challenges are significant, particularly after years of decline and inaction, but there are major opportunities. For far too long, rural areas have been without their fair share of investment and support and have lain dormant; Labour is making sure the sleeping giant is awoken.

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook.

• SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
• SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
• DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
• PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
• ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].