Andy Burnham’s government is facing a widening political divide with rural Britain, with new polling suggesting only a small minority of countryside residents believe Labour understands their concerns.
A survey commissioned by the Countryside Alliance found that just 15 per cent of people living in rural areas believed the government cared about issues affecting their communities.
Meanwhile, 43 per cent said they felt the government had “waged war on the countryside”.
The findings, from an ORB International poll of 2,081 adults, point to a broader perception that Labour’s economic and regulatory agenda is disproportionately focused on urban areas.
Across the country, only 22 per cent of voters said they believed the government cared about countryside communities, compared with 38 per cent who disagreed. A majority, 55 per cent, said the government favoured cities over rural areas, while only 11 per cent disagreed.
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said the figures demonstrated the need for ministers to reconsider their approach to rural Britain.
“These findings are powerful because they show not only how crucial it is for the government to undo the mistakes of the past, but also the opportunity which a rural reset could bring,” he said.
Bonner described the results as “a warning of the dangers of the Government focusing on issues that don’t actually matter to the public”.
He added that ministers should be encouraged to “drop or change damaging policies and re-engage with rural communities”.
The survey nevertheless suggests that Labour could recover some support if it changes course. About 28 per cent of rural respondents said they would be more likely to vote Labour if the party reset its relationship with countryside communities.
Nationally, 24 per cent said a similar shift would make them more likely to support Labour, with the effect particularly pronounced among voters in Wales and Scotland.
The Countryside Alliance attributes much of the deterioration in relations to a series of policies introduced since Labour returned to government in 2024. Its list of 27 measures includes changes to inheritance taxation affecting farms, higher employer National Insurance contributions, planning reforms and measures affecting rural businesses.
The group has also criticised increased pressure on agricultural land from renewable energy developments, changes to taxation of double-cab pickups and the abolition of the £110mn Rural Services Delivery Grant.
The findings coincide with the launch of the Countryside Alliance’s Campaign for the Countryside in Westminster, bringing together political figures including former prime minister David Cameron, former Labour home secretary David Blunkett and former NFU president Minette Batters.
The government said it remained committed to rural communities.
“We have pledged to deliver growth in every postcode and are determined to rebuild trust with the farmers who are the cornerstone of rural communities,” a spokesman said.
“This is backed with real action, including helping farmers through this exceptionally dry summer, as well as investing billions in sustainable farming and food production.”
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