Watch my speech on boost government for rural businesses

There were so many people wanting to speak at this week’s debate on government support for rural areas that I didn’t get to finish my speech!

If I’d had just a little bit longer, I’d have gone to say that rural businesses don’t need a one-size-fits-all approach to rules and regulations.

They need targeted support and policies that understand both their value to their communities and the unique challenges they as rural businesses face.

They need, in other words, an approach that is so different from the one the Government is currently pursuing.

Its Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme, which seeks to make manufacturing more sustainable, is adding to financial uncertainty for hospitality businesses. And its approach to broadband is putting hard-to-reach communities at the back of the queue.

Across the villages and towns of South Devon, local entrepreneurs - farmers, shopkeepers, tradespeople, producers and publicans - are working tirelessly to keep their communities vibrant.

They provide jobs, support local supply chains, and bring people together. But despite their efforts, the odds are stacked against them. We must support our rural businesses so they can thrive instead of simply survive.