Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch slams Government's 'completely wrong' housing targets during Aylesbury Vale visit

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch was joined by Shadow Secretary for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Victoria Atkins during a visit to Fleet Marston Farm in Aylesbury.

Ms Badenoch said the summit was convened because the UK farming sector is at a tipping point, with many in the industry feeling overlooked.

She listened to farmers from across Buckinghamshire who raised mounting concerns about inheritance tax, rural crime, and rising energy costs, issues they say are threatening the long-term future of farms and the wider rural economy.

She added that pressures facing rural communities stretch beyond agriculture. Speaking to the LDRS, Ms Badenoch criticised what she described as an unbalanced approach to national housing targets.

“What we are seeing right now is the [housing] target for cities like London have dropped,” she said. “And then targets for rural communities have been increased even though there is no supporting infrastructure.

“That is completely wrong, we need it to be the other way around. The targets need to be done in the right way, not just piled on to rural areas because they have got land when there is no money and no infrastructure.

“We need to make sure that everything is done sustainably and for the long term. Of course, we know that we need more housing in our country, but it needs to be built in the right way.”

Rural crime was another issue raised at the summit, Ms Badenoch said tackling rural crime would be part of her party’s offer to rural communities.

“We have said we are going to increase the penalties for many of these activities,” she said.

“We need more enforcement. Too many police officers tell me they catch people, and they are let out again, or they pay fines they can afford.

“A lot of people think they can get away with fly-tipping with impunity. We need to get tough on enforcement.”

She added that this would include more police officers on the beat – especially in rural areas.

Mid Buckinghamshire MP Greg Smith, who attended the summit, echoed the concerns raised by farmers.

He said: “The current government don’t understand or care about rural communities. Kemi has shown very clearly by coming twice to my constituency to visit farms just how seriously we take it as a party.”

Mr Smith said he has heard repeatedly from farmers worried about the “family farm tax.”