Government letting down farmers- Hinckley and Bosworth Liberal Democrats

11.28.17pm GMT Mon 16th Mar 2009

Local Liberal Democrats have accused the Government of failing farmers after figures revealed Britons are eating less domestically produced food than when Labour came to power.

In response to a parliamentary question from the Lib Dems, the Department of Food, and Rural affairs admitted consumption of British meat had fallen by 10 per cent since 1997 and that only 65 per cent of meat eaten by Britons actually comes from British farms.

Figures also showed that consumption of British eggs, fruit and vegetables had also fallen under Labour's rule.

Michael Mullaney Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman for Bosworth said "Labour has done to the countryside what Thatcher did to the industrialised areas of the north - and as was the case then, the whole country is paying the price.

"If we are to improve our food security we must insist on fair trade. The Liberal Democrats would introduce a fair deal for British farmers and improve consumer awareness, moving us towards a more secure and environmentally sustainable food supply," he said.