Liberal Democrat leader, Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, outlined his vision for the countryside in a major speech today (Friday).

Nick Clegg spoke of the impact of the current recession on rural communities and the need for a new vision to guide policy and decision-making.   His speech, delivered in Sheffield at an event organised by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) [1], was the latest contribution by a leading politician to CPRE’s work to develop its vision for the countryside in 2026 – the organisation’s anniversary year [2].

Nick Clegg said:

‘Recession means tougher times for rural communities and tougher decisions for how we use land.  So more than ever we need a vision for rural England to make sure we make the right decisions… ’

Speaking about the housing market, he said:

‘Let’s build our national housing target from local targets that reflect need on the ground.  Bottom up. That means trusting people who know best rather than picking numbers out of the air.  Central Government’s job then becomes one of avoiding national housing bubbles like the one that has just burst… 

‘I’m a liberal, and I don’t believe politicians should control how markets grow. But I do believe that the practices that underpin growth need to be regulated when they threaten the public good.  The present housing crisis shouldn’t just be a dip, a slump… A hiccup after which we return to the same old sky high prices.  We need a permanent end to irresponsible lending.  Monetary policy should be used to eradicate boom and bust in our housing market… And the Bank of England should take house prices into account when calculating inflation, something it presently does not do.’

Shaun Spiers, CPRE’s Chief Executive, commented:

‘It is refreshing to hear a Party Leader call for a sensible response to the current turmoil in the housing market.  There remains a pressing need for more affordable homes for rural communities, and we need to take this opportunity to build a fresh, environmentally sustainable approach to meeting the nation’s housing needs. Politicians must learn a lesson from the current crisis, and not just aim for a return to “business as usual”.’

‘This speech comes during the final stages of a public debate over the countryside which will help shape our own vision for its future.  We invite everyone to let us have their views on the issues raised by Nick Clegg so that we can produce a vision for the countryside which commands widespread public support [3].’

– END –

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk

2.  In March, 2007, Rt Hon David Miliband MP, who was then Secretary of State for the Environment, started CPRE’s national debate on the future of the countryside when he outlined is vision for land use.  This was followed in May this year by a speech by Leader of the Opposition, Rt Hon David Cameron MP, who spoke of the importance of ‘civil society’ in determining the future of the rural areas.

3.  Nick Clegg’s speech can be found after 6pm today (Friday) on CPRE’s public debate web page, where people are invited to comment on the speech and on CPRE’s public debate 2026 Vision – What future for the countryside? http://cpredebates.wordpress.com/