ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the attitudes towards agriculture in Parliament and in the main political parties. It explains how many Members sit for agricultural constituencies and what are their political affiliations. Labour Members interested in agriculture are far fewer and less homogeneous. Since 1945 they have consisted of three small groups. There is a sprinkling of Members from rural or semi-rural constituencies; there is a group of Co-operative members concerned with the interests of food consumers and distributors; and there is the small group of Parliamentary leaders on agricultural matters, most of whom have also had administrative experience of agricultural problems. Parliament has been alert for any indication that Government discussions with the Union have been less than exhaustive, and it has become a routine parliamentary gambit to add the phrase ‘after consultation with producers’ at odd points in agricultural Bills, although there is seldom any doubt that consultation will take place.
