DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Help farmers beat back the food apocalypse

Hopefully one lesson the Tories learned after losing the Tiverton and Honiton by-election in June is that you neglect the campaign at your peril.

For too long the party has behaved complacently towards its rural hearts, arrogantly assuming that their votes were simply taken for granted.

So Liz Truss’ pledge if she would become a leader to liberate UK farmers, cut red tape and deliver the changes they need is a welcome first step in regaining the campaign’s trust.

More importantly, it recognizes the urgent need for the government to strengthen food security in this country.

As Minette Batters, president of the National Farmers Union, made clear in yesterday’s Mail on Sunday, the world faces the alarming prospect of a food apocalypse.

The war in Ukraine and summer droughts led to supply shortages. It is imperative that our next Prime Minister take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of our means of food production.

As for Miss Truss’ opponent Rishi Sunak, he too is to be applauded for daring to tackle NHS waiting lists by committing to fines for anyone who misses an appointment.

The Mail has long argued that as long as pusillanimous politicians ignore the inevitable whimpers from the left and take the reform of our anachronistic health service seriously, it will continue to deliver poor service to patients.

And what do Labor MPs have to say about any of these daunting problems facing the country? Absolutely nothing.

Certainly not their leader Sir Keir Starmer, a man so painfully metropolitan you could imagine him struggling to identify basic barnyard animals.

Instead, he’s too busy complaining about striking railroad workers, fearful of upsetting his union paymasters. What cowardice. And what a terrifying glimpse of what life would be like under labor.

Another princely mistake

Russian bankers. Saudi businessmen. Qatari politicians holding up carry bags filled with €500 notes.

Anyone watching the steady stream of revelations about donors linked to the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation would have reason to think the heir to the throne is keeping remarkably poor company.

But the latest revelation that he accepted £1m from Osama bin Laden’s family is certainly the most damaging of them all.

Anyone watching the steady stream of revelations about donors linked to the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation would have reason to think the heir to the throne is keeping remarkably poor company.

Sources close to the Foundation point out that the bin Ladens have long since washed their hands of their terrorist parent. But the prince’s failure to acknowledge how tainted their name remains is naive.

Charles is justifiably proud of his charity work, but his connections to questionable figures in pursuit of his legacy have left an indelible stain on his reputation.

We can only hope that he will exercise better judgment in the future. The very future of the monarchy depends on it.

lionesses roar

What a game ! Which team!

After a tense game, England’s footballers finally ended 56 years of injury without a major footballing trophy with a sensational win in the Euro 2022 final yesterday. And against our old enemy Germany.

What brilliant role models these remarkable young women are. They united the nation last month in pride and admiration with their dazzling talent and sense of fair play.

A big credit must also go to the admirable coach of the Lionesses, Sarina Wiegman, for the way she organized her team.

Hopefully schools are now playing their part and involving more girls in the game.

This is a historic victory for women’s sport, let’s hope it will be the springboard for even greater success.