THE government is “deprioritising” funding for farming, the Conservative MP for Central Devon has claimed. 

Mel Stride, whose constituency covers Crediton, Okehampton and Ashburton, said the new Labour administration is instead focusing on “political point-scoring and appeasing the trade unions”. 

His comments come after reports the £2.4 billion nature-friendly farming budget in England is to be cut by £100 million to help plug a supposed £22 billion shortfall in the public finances. 

Known as the environmental land management scheme, the money pays farmers to improve the natural environment alongside producing food. 

If the cut is approved, it would lead to 239,000 hectares of nature-friendly farmland being lost, according to the RSPB. 

Mr Stride, who is also Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, added that money earmarked under the previous government to help farmers deal with wet weather has not yet been paid out. 

This includes a £50 million extension of the Farming Recovery Fund, and an additional £75 million for internal drainage boards, which help protect agricultural land from floods and storms. 

“In government the Conservatives ensured food security was high on the agenda by committing to grow 60 per cent of our food at home, introducing an annual food security report and setting out plans to introduce a legally binding target to enhance our food security,” said Mr Stride. 

“Farming and food security is vitally important, not just to my rural constituency but to the whole of the UK.  

“The government must now change its course in order to give confidence to the sector.” 

In response, a spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said “we do not comment on Budget speculation” and that farmers have been offered Farming Recovery Fund payments. 

“We will champion British farming to boost rural economic growth, strengthen food security and improve the environment,” they said. 

“We are working at pace, including with representatives of the farming sector, to accelerate the building of flood defences through our new Flood Resilience Taskforce and all farmers eligible for the initial Farming Recovery Fund set up in April have been offered payment.”