The survival of farming is part of believing in Britain - without farming our green and pleasant land will fall into decay

Tim Yeo

"Labour's claim that it represents rural England is absolutely bogus," he said.

Soon, "the rural seats where Labour and the Liberal Democrats have been squatting will be Conservative once again," he declared.

"When the election comes, rural Britain will deliver a damning verdict on the Labour government and its Liberal lackeys," he added.

Lack of understanding

He attacked the Agriculture Secretary, Nick Brown, as "nasty Nick" who should be the first to be thrown out of the Cabinet.

Labour's claim that it represents rural England is absolutely bogus

Tim Yeo

"He is only offering sticking plasters for an industry that is bleeding to death," Mr Yeo said.

And he attacked Labour for hurting the countryside through higher petrol taxes, bans on fox-hunting, the right to roam over private property, and the closure of rural post offices.

Restoring farmers' incomes

Mr Yeo said that restoring farmers' incomes was the key to preserving the countryside.

Official government figures show that farm incomes have fallen by nearly half in the last three years, from �11,000 to �6,000 annually.

Tim Yeo: rural voices must be heard

"We believe in a living and working countryside.

"The survival of farming is part of believing in Britain - without farming our green and pleasant land will fall into decay," he said.

And Mr Yeo accused the government of failing to ensure that food labelled as British is actually produced in the UK.

"That is a fraud on consumers, a fraud that Labour refuse to stop, and a fraud that we will end," he said.

Too much regulation

He said that farmers were suffering under a mountain of red tape and rules which originated in Brussels and were applied more harshly in the British countryside than anywhere else.

"We won't enforce European rules any faster than France, Spain or Italy does," he told the conference to applause.

And he said that Labour favoured the import of substandard food from abroad over the interests of British farmers.

"The next Conservative government will put an end to all that," he said.

Mr Yeo also said that the Conservatives would move more cautiously on GM foods and crops.

And they would endorse a sweeping reform of the Common Agricultural Policy - but one which would recognise the unique role of agriculture in preserving the countryside.