The end of June saw the release of the Government’s much anticipated, and much delayed, Industrial Strategy. The Strategy seeks to provide a 10-year plan to deliver certainty and stability for businesses to promote investment in high growth sectors. I think the rationale behind the Strategy is sound, businesses are in desperate need of certainty after years of the Government’s policy changing time and time again as each new Conservative leader sought to leave their own mark onto our nation’s economy.

I was pleased to see that the Industrial Strategy focuses on many of the same sectors that the Liberal Democrats’ strategy prioritised, including life sciences, clean energy, professional and business services, and aerospace and automotive. However, I am very concerned that not enough attention has been given to our agri-food industry and our rural economy. 

One of the 11 priority sectors identified by the Liberal Democrat Industrial Strategy in Government was Agricultural Technology and recognising that “support for this sector will help make food healthier, safer, more secure and more affordable.” It is disappointing that the Government has now relegated agri-tech to just a handful of mentions in the white paper. This fits into a worrying trend that we have seen from the Government of solely prioritising urban areas over rural ones like ours. 

I am concerned that if current trends continue, rural areas like ours risk being left behind while investment and opportunities concentrate in major cities. That is why I have written to the Treasury, DEFRA and other departments to make the case for more funding and infrastructure in rural communities like Wiltshire, so we can secure the support our local economy needs to thrive. 

I fear that if all our public investment keeps getting funnelled into cities, then rural economies like Wiltshire simply will not be able to cope as our skilled workers and our businesses find themselves with no choice but to leave for the cities because our towns and villages have been starved of public services.

This must be addressed before we reach a point where the rural areas that make up this green and pleasant land are entirely depleted of their funding, their businesses and crucially the people that are the lifeblood of our economy.