RISHI Sunak, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Richmond, is to hold a "Farmers Forum" at Northallerton auction mart on Wednesday (28) at 7pm.

He has spent the last few months visiting farmers and auction marts but wants more local farmers to tell him what they would most like to see from the next Government.

Mr Sunak said: "Farming is an integral part of our local economy and rural community. What I am hearing every week at local auction marts is that farming, like all small business, needs less regulation and red tape in order to create the conditions needed to thrive.

"This is why I want to set up a forum to meet with local farmers and establish our priorities for the next parliament and really fight for reform. From new Common Agricultural Policy greening requirements to electronic tagging for sheep, these are rules and regulations that have a real impact on our local farmers.”

Stephen Wyrill, local dairy farmer and national chairman of the Tenant Farmers Association, said: "Rishi is clearly hard at work meeting farmers and getting to grips with the kind of issues the industry faces. I am glad he is placing the rural economy at the heart of his work here.”

For refreshment purposes farmers planning to attend the forum are asked to inform rishi@rishisunak.com or call 01609 772060.