Donoughue to join Countryside March in PR bid

11 February 1998

Donoughue to join Countryside March in PR bid

LORD DONOUGHUE, junior agriculture minster, is to join marchers on the Countryside March next month. His intention is to reassure rural people that the Government is not out “to bash the countryside”.

Up to 100 Labour backbenchers are expected to sign a Commons motion reminding the Government of its manifesto commitment to legislate to enforce ramblers rights to access to uncultivated countryside.

There are suspicions that Prime Minister Tony Blair would like to backtrack.

• The Guardian 11/02/98 page 10