Burnham urged to restore confidence across UK farming sector

The DUP Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson said Mr Burnham’s arrival at Number 10 Downing Street presents a unique and valuable opportunity to reset Government priorities and deliver on the promises made to rural communities.

Ms Lockhart said: “Thankfully Sir Keir Starmer’s two-year tenure as Prime Minister has been consigned to the history books. Rachel Reeves has also been removed from her role as Chancellor.

“Both will be remembered for delivering blow after blow to farmers, businesses, pensioners and hard-working people. The new Prime Minister has a chance to wipe the slate clean, build trust and right the wrongs of his predecessor.

“If this Labour Government is serious about rebuilding the economy, supporting working families and strengthening the United Kingdom, then agriculture must be at the heart of that plan.

“Safeguarding our agricultural industry is not optional. It is essential for our economy, our rural communities and the long-term sustainability of the United Kingdom's food security,” she added.

“British farmers produce world-class food to the highest environmental and animal welfare standards, and deserve a government that backs them, not one that continually places endless bureaucratic burdens in their way.”

Ms Lockhart outlined that one of the Government's first priorities should be restoring confidence across the farming sector, adding: “The Family Farm Tax has caused enormous distress and uncertainty for farming families who have spent generations building viable businesses.

“The ‘death tax’ reforms, implemented at the start of April, must be immediately reversed, or significantly watered-down, to protect family farms and secure the future of British agriculture. The Government must also finally address the barriers created by the Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework.

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“Trade within the United Kingdom should never be subject to unnecessary bureaucracy.

“Restoring unfettered internal trade and strengthening Northern Ireland's place within the Union must be a priority. I look forward to engaging with Sir Chris Bryant, the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on this matter.”

Carla Lockhart MP said the Prime Minister's pledge to revive economic growth would only succeed if food production was recognised as a national strategic priority. She said: "Food security is national security. Defence and energy receive significant Government attention, and rightly so, but food production deserves exactly the same level of strategic importance. We cannot continue relying on overseas imports while our own producers are operating under increasingly difficult circumstances.

“Farmers need practical and meaningful support, not endless regulation. That means planning reform to encourage investment, proportionate regulation that supports innovation, improved access to labour across the agri-food and horticulture sectors and policies that allow businesses to grow with confidence.”

Ms Lockhart said the Government must also maintain momentum within DEFRA following another reshuffle – the second in five weeks. Dame Angela Eagle spent nine months in the role as DEFRA Minister, and after a short term has Security Minister, has been appointed to Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

“Only weeks ago I expressed concern about yet another change in leadership at DEFRA. I am pleased to see Dame Angela Eagle back at the helm. She is familiar with the complex portfolio, and will be able to hit the ground running,” the Upper Bann MP concluded.

Meanwhile Stormont’s Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) Committee chairman, Robbie Butler MLA, has indicated that the appointment of a new Secretary of State presents a fresh opportunity to put food security front and centre.

He further explained: “A change in Secretary of State for Northern Ireland inevitably brings a change in priorities, perspectives and relationships.

“More importantly, it provides an opportunity to ask some fundamental questions about how Westminster views Northern Ireland and the strategic role we play within the United Kingdom.”

According to the Ulster Unionist Party MLA, Hilary Benn leaves office as perhaps one of the most informed and genuinely engaged Secretaries of State that Northern Ireland has seen in many years.

“He was willing to listen, keen to understand Northern Ireland's unique challenges and generous with his time across a wide range of issues. That willingness to engage deserves recognition,” Butler commented.

“Yet there remained one area where I believe the importance of Northern Ireland was never fully appreciated: food security.

“As someone who years ago served his time as a butcher before entering public life, I know first-hand the exceptional quality of the beef, lamb, pork and poultry produced by our local farmers.

“I've seen the pride that goes into producing world-class food and the countless people whose livelihoods depend on getting it from field to fork.”

The AERA Committee representative believes that food security should not be viewed simply as an agricultural issue. It is a matter of national resilience, every bit as important as defence, infrastructure or healthcare.

He concluded: “Recent global events, supply chain disruption, geopolitical instability and inflation have reminded us that a nation should never take its ability to feed itself for granted.

“Our farm and food industry remains our largest indigenous sector, supporting well over 100,000 full-time jobs and contributing around £7.3 billion to our economy each year. Those figures tell only part of the story.

“Behind them are family businesses, processors, manufacturers, transport companies, researchers, retailers and exporters who collectively help feed millions of people across these islands.

“That fact alone should make any Secretary of State sit up and take notice.”