Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for West Worcestershire gave her strong backing to a new set of rural policy proposals by the Conservatives. They would return power to rural communities, protect rural services and revive the rural economy across Worcestershire.

The new policy paper, launched as part of the Conservatives' Rural Action campaign, sets out a series of proposals to end Labour's notorious 'decade of disrespect' for rural communities. They include plans to:

• Expand the pilot programme of school visit by City children to rural farms, like the ones that are now happening in Worcestershire
• Give councils new powers to give local business rate discounts so they can support local shops or put empty rural buildings back into use.
• Support local Post Offices, giving them freedom to offer a wider range of business services and encourage local authorities to open 'council counters' in local branches.
• Use unspent money from the TV digital switchover to give remote areas better broadband coverage.
• Ensure fairer funding for Worcestershire councils and devolve down funding and powers currently held by distant regional quangos.

Harriett Baldwin said:

"Rural Worcestershire has suffered a decade of disrespect by Labour. Local services have been scrapped, rural communities have been denied a say, and power has been taken away from them.

"We need a new approach to reverse Labour's centralisation and interference from Whitehall bureaucrats, so that rural communities and the rural way of life across Worcestershire are fully respected.

"Over the past decade the Government has shown itself to be deaf to the concerns of the countryside. Conservatives will ensure that Worcestershire's rural voice is heard loud and clear, protect our rural services and help revive our rural economy."