A RALLYING cry to rural MPs was made at the Great Yorkshire Show by countryside campaigners calling on them to get behind the local economy, after new figures revealed it is worth more than £6 billion in North Yorkshire alone.

But they warn the government's plans for a national living wage of £9 an hour by 2020 could damage small businesses.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) is calling for talks with the government over the issue. They say many small rural businesses will not be able to afford to pay it and concessions will need to be made

CLA president Henry Robinson said they need MPs to get behind them to support extended broadband for rural areas, end discrimination against small rural and family businesses in the tax system and ensure business policies support rural growth.

He said the CLA represents people who own and manage more than half the countryside in Britain where land is in short supply and is coming under pressure from housing, infrastructure, agriculture and renewable energy.

The figures reveal Richmond constituency has the biggest rural economy worth £1.9 billion with the industry employing 45,000 people; Thirsk and Malton is worth £1.8 billion employing nearly 50,000 and Ripon and Skipton employing 43,000 and worth £1.7 billion.

Mr Robinson said more than three million people are employed in the food and drink industry, more than the car and aerospace industries put together.

“The government needs to remember what is important," he added.

"The national living wage would be financed by cuts in corporation tax, but 90 per cent of rural businesses are privately owned. They will have to take all the costs off their bottom line. By 2020 margins are going to be squeezed and if you are on a knife edge now it will be impossible. We need concessions for small businesses."