Rural life and farming

Rural life and Farming

Across Beverley and Holderness, rural life is at the heart of our communities.

From family farms to small rural businesses, people work hard to produce food, support jobs, and keep our villages thriving. But many are under growing pressure from rising costs, changing regulations, and uncertainty about the future.

When I speak to farmers and residents across our villages, the message is clear. They want to keep producing high-quality British food, but they need a system that backs them, not one that makes things harder.

Supporting rural life and farming is essential not just for our countryside, but for keeping food prices stable and standards high.

Farming and Food Production

British farming plays a vital role in putting food on our tables.

Farmers across our area take pride in producing high-quality food while maintaining the countryside for future generations. But they are facing rising costs for fuel, feed, and equipment, alongside increasing uncertainty.

We need a clear, practical approach that supports those who produce our food, including:

  • Backing British farmers to maintain strong domestic food production
  • Ensuring fair treatment within the supply chain
  • Providing long-term certainty so farms can plan and invest

Food security matters. Supporting farmers helps keep prices stable for families and protects standards.

Rural Costs and Pressures

Living in rural areas often comes with higher everyday costs.

Many households are not connected to the gas grid and rely on heating oil. Travel is not optional, with people needing to drive to work, school, and essential services. When fuel and energy costs rise, rural communities feel it first.

That is why I continue to raise concerns about policies that risk increasing costs for rural households.

We should focus on:

  • Fair energy support for off-grid homes
  • Recognising the essential role of transport in rural areas
  • Ensuring rural communities are not overlooked in national decisions

Supporting Rural Communities

Villages across Beverley and Holderness are strong, but they rely on the right support to thrive.

Local services, small businesses, and community facilities are essential to daily life. When they come under pressure, it affects everyone.

I will continue to stand up for:

  • Strong local services in rural areas
  • Support for small rural businesses
  • Investment that reflects the needs of villages, not just cities

 

Standing up for rural communities and backing British farming.

If you live or work in a rural area, I want to hear from you. Your experiences matter, and they help shape the case I make in Westminster for practical action that supports farming, protects rural life, and keeps costs down for families.

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News

Graham backs Cllr Sean McMaster’s Farmer-Backing Motion in Council

Graham has thrown his weight behind a motion by Cllr Sean McMaster (Con, South East Holderness) calling on East Riding of Yorkshire Council to show its support for the farmers of East Yorkshire.  Farmers are facing an existential threat from the Labour government, which announced in the Bu

Graham and the Conservatives force vote on Labour’s cruel Family Farm Tax

The future of farmers across Beverley and Holderness will be a focus of a major Parliamentary vote tomorrow as Graham and the Conservatives look to overturn Labour’s vindictive Family Farm Tax.  Despite the Prime Minister and Environment Secretary Steve Reed previously promising to protect

Graham visits recently restored Flood Defences at Humber Bank

Alongside farmers from the area, Graham visited the Humber Bank near Easington to see the rock armour installed since his last visit in September.  At a previous meeting, the Environment Agency (EA) had pledged to reinstate the defences as quickly as possible, and local farmers were keen t

Graham joins East Yorkshire Farmers in Westminster Protest

Farmers are angry and, as over 20,000 descended on Westminster today to protest against the government’s attack on rural Britain, Graham was there to lend his support and hear what farmers from the East Riding have to say. Farmers have been hit with a triple whammy in the recent Budget of Broke

Graham and East Yorkshire farmers join forces against Family Farm Tax

Following the government’s announcement that it will introduce a new Family Farm Tax, a group of local farmers met Graham at his regular street surgery in Skirlaugh on Saturday.  In a good-natured demo, Graham and the farmers received support from across the community, including Skirlaugh

Graham slams the Budget of Broken Promises in the House of Commons

In a powerful speech in the House of Commons, Graham slammed the Budget of Broken Promises which will cause great hardship for working people, for older people and for farmers in Beverley and Holderness.  The campaigning MP is well known as a fervent critic of the government’s repeated bro