Top Tory Victoria Atkins has called on her Labour opposite number Steve Reed to resign from the Cabinet following more reports of farmer suicides. The showdown came in the Commons this morning, as Ms Atkins recounted yet more reports of the terrible fallout from Labour’s family farms tax.
Taking to her feet, the Tories’ shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs secretary pointed out how many farmers currently producing the nation’s food are the descendants of those who kept the country fed while at war with Germany 80 years ago. She contrasted this with the government’s heartless attitude to rural communities, now feeling the harsh reality of Labour’s tractor tax. Ms Atkins blasted: “Before Christmas, I warned the Secretary of State that a farmer had taken their own life because they were so worried about the family farms tax.”
“He responded with anger, and later stopped the Farming Resilience Fund which helped farmers with mental ill-health.
“This week I have received the devastating news that several more farmers have taken their own lives because of the family farm tax.
“This is the Secretary of State’s legacy. But he can change it, because it is not yet law.”
She demanded that Mr Reed set out these tragedies to the Prime Minister in order to force a reversal of the devastating tax, but called that he offer his resignation if he could not secure a U-turn from Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves.
Last week, the Daily Express revealed that one tearful farmer has told Ms Atkins: “If there was a rope in the corner of this room, I would use it.”
Farmers facing a huge inheritance tax hike from April next year are being driven to the terrible conclusion that ending their lives now is worth it to save their farm and their children from the huge inheritance tax implications.
Gareth Wyn Jones – whose family have farmed for more than three centuries in North Wales – described the plight of farmers as “devastating”.
He warned: “I have never ever been in a situation where we have had so many people in dire straits…. We’re on our knees and there’s this constant barrage of red tape and more taxes, more problems.”
Responding to Ms Atkins’ call for him to resign from the Cabinet, Labour’s Steve Reed condemned her for making party political points out of the tragedy.
He fumed: “Can I express my regret that [she] would seek to politicise personal tragedy in this way, I think it’s immensely regrettable she would seek to do that.”
“None of us can know for sure what happens in matters of personal tragedy. But I think it’s beneath her to try and weaponise it in the way she has done.”
He insisted the Government is taking farmers’ mental health seriously, and is rolling out mental health hubs in “every community, so we can make sure we support farmers and others who are suffering from mental health.”