Tenant farmers accuse Starmer of breaking solar farm promise

Tenant farmers have accused prime minister Sir Keir Starmer of breaking a personal promise made in 2023 to protect their rights, following a government-backed planning decision in North Yorkshire.

Rob and Emma Sturdy will not be compensated when almost half their 113ha tenanted farm is taken for a solar energy project, after the plan was upheld following a judicial review.

The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) has written to the prime minister, highlighting the contradiction between the outcome and a pledge he made at the NFU conference in February 2023.

See also: UK’s biggest solar farm gets green light from government

As the then leader of the opposition, Sir Keir said: “Tenant farmers need a fair deal. They need to know their futures are secure… But we can’t do it by taking advantage of tenant farmers, farmers producing good British food on carefully maintained, fertile land. They can’t plan properly if the soil beneath their feet isn’t secure.”

In its letter, the TFA enquired about the government’s plans to fulfil that promise in light of the growing number of solar energy projects affecting tenanted land.

The organisation welcomed a reference in the recently published Solar Roadmap to ensuring “adequate and fair” compensation for displaced tenant farmers, but sought clarity.

Defining compensation

“In the first instance, it is necessary to define what is ‘adequate and fair’ compensation,” the letter stated. “The TFA view is that it must equate to the compensation necessary to cover the actual loss of the tenant farmer to their business, their home and their livelihood.”

The TFA has now received a response from the No10 correspondence unit, which it described as disappointing and “curt”, noting the matter had been passed on to Defra.

TFA chief executive George Dunn said: “Clearly the prime minister is attempting to distance himself from the very clear promise he gave to tenant farmers.

“Unfortunately for him, we have his promise on video… He should meet with Rob and Emma to explain why his promise was not kept.”

Mr Dunn added: “This is a matter of conscience for the prime minister and I very much hope that he will reconsider his position and deal with the matter personally and appropriately.”