Farron Calls on New Minister To Keep Farm Support Promise

New Environment Minister Andrea Leadsom must keep her referendum promises to farmers, South Lakes MP Tim Farron has insisted today.

Andrea Leadsom is on the record as having told farmers during the referendum that "the UK government will give you that same money when we leave the EU". Tim has written to her today to ask her to confirm that she will honour those promises.

Tim wrote that farmers need "reassurance at what is a very difficult time for many". The latest figures show that 72 Cumbrian dairy farms have gone out of business in the last three years, including 4 in the last month alone.

This morning, Tim was told by a DEFRA minister that "decisions on the future of agricultural support will be taken once the new Government is in place." New Prime Minister Theresa May has now appointed her cabinet, in which Andrea Leadsom is in charge of DEFRA.

Tim said: "Now is the time for Andrea Leadsom to honour the promises she made to our farmers during the referendum campaign. She must protect the support that our farmers rely on. She must back up her promises with action.

"The farming community is under a lot of pressure at the moment, and without this support even more farmers will be driven under. I will do all I can to fight to protect our farmers."