Time for politicians to confront the moral failures of Britain's welfare system
I don't know how things are up in Scotland, from where Mr Redman writes, but in England Labour politicians have demonstrated complete ignorance of, and disregard for, rural life.
The problem starts at the top, and was perfectly illustrated last year when Steve Reed, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary (a career politician from south London), had to be gifted a pair of shiny new wellies before visiting a farm.
I would be extremely surprised if any rural area is still represented by a Labour MP after the next general election.
Roger White
Sherborne, Dorset
SIR – I have recently been notified by Liberal Democrat-led Oxfordshire County Council that it will install a new footpath on my farm, going across four fields half a mile, because there might have been a footpath on this route 300 years ago.
It will join two villages, Broadwell and Clanfield, even though there are already two good paths that achieve this, and cross four organic grass fields, presenting dangers for walkers among cows and calves, and disturbing to wildlife. Fencing will become practically impossible.
We have just spent a lot of money clearing an overgrown bridle path, also on our farm, as the council said it has no funds to carry out its responsibility to maintain it. Why is it installing new footpaths at great cost, when old ones are not maintained and our village road is nearly impassable because of potholes?
Ralph Mawle
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