The resignation of Sir Keir Starmer provides a much-needed opportunity for a complete reset of the government’s relationship with the British countryside. During his premiership, rural communities have felt increasingly sidelined by a Westminster government that chose to prioritise urban-centric ideologies over the practical realties of land management and conservation.
Rural Britain was promised a government that would listen, protect local economies, and support sustainable growth. Instead, the countryside faces a series of broken promises which culminated in proposals to ban trail-hunting and restrict game shooting. These traditional pursuits are the economic and social heart of our rural communities which generate 67,000 full-time jobs and £3.3 billion for the UK economy. It also contributes 15 million workdays to conservation and habitat management that the State simply cannot replicate.
A new Prime Minister has a golden opportunity. By dropping these counterproductive plans and choosing instead to work collaboratively with those who live and work in the countryside, the next leader of our country can foster unity. I invite representatives from government, as well as the wider public, to attend the upcoming Game Fair at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire this July to serve as a timely reminder of the immense passion, heritage, and economic value inherent in our rural way of life.
We urge our incoming Prime Minister to champion our rural communities.
Yours faithfully,
James Gower
Managing Director, The Game Fair (24 – 26 July 2026)
