CUMBRIAN MP Tim Farron warned that the Government’s move to undermine farmers will make the price of food rise even further for local families.

Speaking during a debate on poverty and the cost of food, Mr Farron said the Government’s decision to cut the Basic Payment Scheme before the replacement Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) is up and running, is forcing farmers out of business.

He said: “I am desperately concerned that what Britain is doing at the moment with its agricultural policy is reducing the amount of food that we produce, which will inevitably increase the cost of that food.

“The Government’s transition from the common agricultural policy to the ELMs would actually be one of that rare, rare species - a Brexit benefit - if it was done properly, but it is not being done properly. In my constituency, we have a thousand farms. All of them will lose at least 35 percent of their basic payment this year. Two percent. of them have qualified for the new sustainable farming incentive.

“We need to pause the phase-out of the basic payment scheme, so we can protect our farmers and stop the eradication of our ability to produce food.If we lose farmers, we lose not only our ability to look after our environment, our natural landscapes and our biodiversity, but our ability to produce food.