The Times April 24, 2002(posted 8037 days ago)'Distortion' of rural issues From the Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance
Sir, Matthew Parris (Comment, April 20) is quite wrong to imply that we are doing nothing about the big rural issues. Of course the political attack on hunting features largely on our website, but this merely reflects the perversely distorted current “rural” priorities of Westminster, not ours.
We have been pressing ahead with a panoply of constructive policy output and community project activities. This includes our work on regional food, crime prevention, food co-operatives, social services and amenities, affordable housing, and sustainable land use. But most of the media appear more interested in hearing from us on hunting than learning about our progressive initiatives and policies to help the people of the countryside.
It is not we but the politicians who have hijacked the real social and economic priorities of the countryside. Hunting is not even an issue in most rural communities — only in Westminster. But a ban on hunting is a huge issue for the countryside, both in itself and because it seems to be our politicians’ prime interest in rural Britain — judging by the inordinate amounts of parliamentary time and taxpayers’ money they appear willing to waste on legislation that would not help a single rural (or urban) family and would harm many.
Meanwhile, politicians largely ignore the real problems and priorities of the countryside. When they do show any interest it is usually in doing things to, rather than for, rural people. And that is why, despite Mr Parris’s scepticism, hunting has become the touchstone for rural communities’ anger and sense of betrayal over their political treatment — as our politicians will assuredly find out when we bring hundreds of thousands of people to London on September 22.
Yours etc, RICHARD BURGE, Chief Executive, Countryside Alliance, 367 Kennington Road, SE11 4PT. April 22.