CUMBRIAN MP Tim Farron accused the government this week of leaving farmers out in the cold following the Queen's Speech.

Mr Farron, in the House of Commons this week, said no mention had been made in the Queen's Speech of rural communities or farmers and the issues they have been facing.

In his speech, Mr Farron emphasised that farmers are on the front line of providing food to the nation and tackling the climate crisis simultaneously, but the government’s current policies are jeopardising farmer’s efforts to improve the climate.

He added: “Some 70% of England’s land mass is farmed, so if we care about tackling climate change and the biodiversity crisis, the reality is that the greenest thing that any Government can do is keep Britain’s farmers farming.

“They are the only people who will make even the greatest plans come to fruition, because the greatest plans in the world will remain just plans in a drawer without farmers to introduce them.”

Mr Farron also discussed the transition to the new farm payment system outlining the fact that most farmers are now being left worse off under the new system.