THE future of family farms was the focus of a major rally in Westminster on Monday, which saw farmer from across the country take to the streets of London in protest of Labour’s Family Farm Tax.
Despite Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Environment Secretary Steve Reed previously promising to protect farmers, under Labour Government proposals, more than 75 per cent of farms across the country will be hit by new inheritance tax rules.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has said the proposed changes will be devastating for family farms and pose a serious risk to domestic food security and food prices.
The farmers rally coincided with a parliamentary debate relating to inheritance tax relief for working farms, which was scheduled after over 147,000 people signed an e-petition against the Family Farm Tax, one of the many petitions that has called for the tax's repeal.
In December, the Conservative Party delivered a 215,465-signature strong petition to the Labour Government calling for the reversal of their proposed Inheritance Tax changes.
Speaking from the rally Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Conservative MP for Central Devon, Mel Stride said: “Despite tens of thousands of farmers descending on Westminster and hundreds of thousands signing petitions against the Family Farm Tax, Labour are still intent on continuing this vindictive policy.
“On Monday, Labour MPs had yet another chance to speak out against Keir Starmer’s plans and help protect hundreds of thousands of farmers – they failed to do so and people across the country will not forgive them for this attack on the farming industry.
“Farming sits at the heart of my constituency and I will continue to do all I can to oppose this malicious tax on hardworking local farmers here in Central Devon and across the country.”
