General election 2010: Voters' views from UK farms

Oliver Walston
Arable farmer from South Cambdrigeshire

• 2005 - Voted Liberal Democrat
• 2010 - Will vote Liberal Democrat

“I will vote on national rather than local policies. I voted Liberal Democrat last time and I will vote for the Liberal Democrat candidate again this year. Until about two days ago,

“I thought it was the most boring election I had ever seen. But it has become interesting now. The problem is tthe parties are so similar and in agriculture, the differences are microscopic.”

Roger Foxwell
NFU East Sussex County Chairman, from Lewes Constituency, Sussex

• 2005 - Voted Liberal Democrat
• 2010 - Will probably vote Conservative

“In 2005 I voted for the Liberal Democrats and they won comfortably. Norman Baker has been a good constituency MP but in order to get real change in farming, it is going to have to be a vote for the Tories.

“If you vote Lib Dem, it may be a wasted vote. It is very interesting to speak to other farmers in the area though. There has been a bit of a backlash against the Conservatives after Nick Herbert came here and talked about moving away from direct subsidies. Farmers survive on these subsidies so there are now no Tory boards at the end of their driveways.”

Kenneth Campbell
Dairy farmer and chairman of NFU Scotland’s Dumfries and Galloway Regional Board, Dumfries and Galloway constituency

• 2005 - Voted Conservative
• 2010 - Undecided, but swinging away from the Conservatives

“I think I am less likely to vote for the Conservatives than in past years. I am very worried about their spending cuts and their effect on the rural economy.

“I think they will just draw a line straight through the rural development programmes which help rural businesses and help create jobs. I will be voting on local politics rather than national issues.”

William Bond
Dairy and beef farmer, from West Worcestershire constituency

• 2005 - Voted Conservative
• 2010 - Will probably vote Conservative

“I will certainly not vote for the Labour Party. I think too many farmers have had too many forms to fill in, sat through too many RPA muck-ups and shown too many inspectors around their farm to want to vote for Labour.

“Part of me wants to vote for the Liberal Democrats but I fear a hung Parliament will simply hamper the decision-making process.”

Steve Heard

Arable farmer and FG columnist, from Rutland and Melton constituency, Leicestershire

• 2005 - Voted Labour
• 2010 - Undecided

“I am interested but uneducated as to who stands for what this year as we haven’t had much contact from our local candidates. I will vote, but I don’t know how.

“Is there any real difference between the candidates? It is hard to tell. I will certainly vote on national politics rather than local, but I am worried that Defra, under any Government, will still be Defra.”

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