(MENAFN) A recent fashion choice by Steve Reed, the UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has caused a storm of controversy among farming communities. Reed was photographed wearing a pair of EUR420 (USD541) rubber boots from the luxury brand Le Chameau, a move that has enraged many in the farming sector. The boots, which are handcrafted and lined with premium leather, are seen as an exclusive piece of footwear, far removed from the practical, durable rubber boots that are typically associated with farm work.

The minister’s choice of footwear was made even more controversial when it was revealed that the wellies were likely not purchased by Reed himself. Instead, they were reportedly gifted to him by Lord Waheed Alli, a prominent Labour donor and director of Le Chameau. At the time of the gift, the boots, which were priced at EUR270, did not meet the EUR300 threshold that would have required them to be formally registered among the minister’s declared interests, as per parliamentary rules.

The backlash from the farming community was swift and sharp. Many farmers expressed their displeasure at what they perceived as a tone-deaf display of wealth, particularly at a time when many in the agricultural industry are struggling with economic challenges. Aled Thomas, a farmer and Conservative councillor from Pembrokeshire, Wales, told *The Telegraph* that such expensive boots were out of touch with the reality of farm life. “You’ll never see a farmer who wears EUR400 wellies, because we’re getting them covered in muck every day,” Thomas said. He added that the decision had left many farmers “feeling quite insulted.”

Others, like Andrew Court, a farmer from Staffordshire, were also quick to point out that Reed’s attempt to relate to the farming community through his choice of footwear had clearly fallen flat. “If the minister sought to connect with farmers by picking rubber boots, he had clearly failed to do so,” Court remarked.

The incident has stirred a wider debate about the disconnect between politicians and the working-class communities they represent. For many, Reed’s choice of such expensive wellies, which are viewed as a symbol of luxury rather than practicality, epitomizes the growing divide between the political elite and those in industries like farming, where hard work and modest living are the norm.

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