South Lakes MP Tim Farron says that the absence of any mention of farming in the Queen’s Speech proves that the Conservative Government has turned its back on farmers in Cumbria.

It comes after the Government recently pulled Mr Farron's Ten Minute Rule Bill which looked to set up a new environmental regulator to protect Britain’s food and farming standards.

Mr Farron said: “It absolutely beggars belief that there is not a single mention of British farming in the Queen’s Speech. That’s an insult to farmers across Cumbria. Meanwhile the Government is planning to remove half of the income of many small family farms over the next three years.

“That’s obviously going to be devastating for those farmers, but it’s also going to have a big impact on reducing Britain’s ability to feed itself as well as massively changing the way that our environment looks in places like the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales.The Government have taken farmers for granted for too long – it’s high time they backed British farming before it’s too late.”

Meanwhile, The National Sheep Association (NSA) listened with great interest to the Queen’s speech on Tuesday announcing plans for legislative changes in key areas covering animal welfare alongside focused actions in the Environment Bill to protect nature.