TWO high-profile political figures visited businesses in South Gloucestershire yesterday in the form of home secretary Theresa May and secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs Elizabeth Truss.


Ms Truss visited first generation poultry farm, Southend Farm in Charfield, to meet representatives from the National Farmers Union (NFU).


Conservative candidate for Thornbury and Yate Luke Hall also visited the poultry farm to meet Charles Bourns, owner of the farm on Little Bristol Lane and chairman of the NFU Poultry Board.


Mr Bourns said: “The visit went very well. I was at an NFU conference where we were offered the opportunity to meet Mr Hall, and when he visited, he brought the secretary of state too.


“We had a group of NFU farmers sit around the kitchen table discussing problems from broadband issues locally to changes of farm payment systems which was very useful.”


Ms Truss, who also visited nearby Newhouse Farm, said: “This morning we had a good discussion about farming issues, especially poultry and beef, and the importance of rural broadband.


“Luke is passionate about British food and farming coming from a farming background and working in the food industry. He will be a strong voice for Thornbury and Yate in Parliament.”


Mr Hall said: “As a rural man myself, who grew up on a local farm, I thought it was hugely important to bring the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs here to South Gloucestershire to discuss the rural issues that matter to us here.”


Later in the day, Home Secretary Theresa May visited leading provider of paper-based packaging Smurfit Kappa in Yate to take a tour around the factory on Woodward Avenue with Mr Hall.


The pair met Terry McGivarn, managing director of Smurfit Kappa, who employ over 190 local people at the site, who held a question time session with a cross section of employees across the business, including workers from the factory floor and the sales and design teams.


Mrs May said: “I was delighted to visit Smurfit Kappa, one of the biggest employers in Yate today with Luke.


“Luke is an excellent candidate and this is a key constituency in this general election.


“A vote for Luke is also a vote to keep David Cameron in Downing Street and avoid the economic chaos that Labour would bring. Luke has worked locally in Yate and would not only be a committed constituency MP, he would also be a strong local voice in Westminster.”