Important rural questions for the Conservative leadership candidates

The needs and circumstances of rural areas, and the people and businesses within them, should not be overlooked in the debate about the future leadership of the country.

Rural communities and businesses face many challenges, from the rising cost of living to the move to Net Zero. The issues are not peculiar to rural people, but the circumstances of rural places – isolation, distance from markets and services, competition for housing – can exacerbate problems and require solutions tailored to local needs.

In this context, thirteen national organisations that make up the The Rural Coalition have written to Conservative Leadership candidates Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss asking them to consider a set of questions, to which their responses stand to shape the future of rural communities.