MP takes up the fight for commoners

6.02.32pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 18th Apr 2006

The Commons Bill is currently progressing through Parliament, but one particular section has caused great alarm to commoners with grazing rights. On leaving the House of Lords, a clause was included in the Bill which states that those who have grazing rights and wish to sell them can only do so if sold back to the land owner. This will ultimately mean that the land will become of little monetary value to those that own grazing rights.

Local MP Tim Farron has written to the Minister in his capacity as Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming calling for this clause to be removed in order to allow for the fair sale of grazing rights. Tim has been working alongside the Environment spokesperson Chris Huhne and leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell in order to stop this section being accepted.

Tim commented: "This clause is extremely unfair and is in effect creating a closed market to the detriment of those with grazing rights. I want to see this amendment removed and the right to a free market restored - if this clause were included it would be an appalling return to a form of feudalism - it must be deleted".