Alliance plans huge London rally
19 October 2000
Alliance plans huge London rally
By Isabel Davies
THE Countryside Alliance has unveiled plans for a huge rally in London, which it claims will dwarf the march of two years ago.
John Jackson, alliance chairman, confirmed plans for the rally in a speech to the second annual Countryside Conference in London on Thursday (19 October).
“No one in public life should doubt that the countryside is seething with resentment and discontent,” he told delegates at the Royal Geographical Society.
The rally is expected to take place next spring. Contingency plans are in place and a date has been reserved, although it has not been officially revealed.
Up to half a million people could take part, said Mr Jackson. The alliance did not want to march again, but it looked “as if it might have to happen,” he added.
In the run-up to the next General Election, Mr Jackson said that the alliance would be using a new slogan – “The Countryside Fighting For Liberty”.
“The causes of the countrysides discontent and resentment are reflected in the slogan we have adopted for our campaign in this pre-election period.
“The issue of rural freedoms is fundamental to our defence of hunting and other country sports, but it also embraces much more than this.
“It also underpins our broader campaigns for rural livelihoods and culture and against social exclusion in the countryside.”
Mr Jackson also called on ministers to prove to rural Britain that they plan to “get real” about the countryside and start trying to understand rural issues.
He added: “We get a lot of complaints that ministers dont listen. We dont think thats fair, they just dont understand.”
The only way in which this can be overcome is to set up a proper Department of Rural Affairs, preferably with Cabinet status, Mr Jackson told listeners.
“The department would not only comment on the effect that initiatives by other departments of state would have on the countryside, but take initiatives of its own.”
Mr Jackson said he supported reported proposals by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to levy full council-tax rates on second homes.
Revenue raised from second homes should be ploughed back into local communities to provide affordable housing, policing and transport, he said.
Unveiling blueprints for the health of the countryside, alliance chief executive Richard Burge outlined a number of farmer-friendly initiatives.
There should be guaranteed funding available for farmers wanting to enter schemes like countryside stewardship, he said.
Local authorities should be mandated to provide farmers markets and should buy British food with their own budgets, Mr Burge added.