When Labour wanted the vote of rural people they promised they had changed, claiming they would form a “new relationship with the countryside and farming communities”.
Regrettably for those of us who care about farm businesses and our country’s food security, this new relationship seems to be one of utter destain.
The now Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, said they had “no plans to change” agricultural property relief, and when I challenged him on this during the election campaign, he dismissed my warnings as “desperate nonsense”.
Yet in their first budget Labour made the choice to introduce a Family Farm Tax that will be a devastating blow to British farming. It will force farming families out of business, mean less land is available for tenant farmers, and make our country increasingly reliant on imports to feed itself.
The imposition of this new tax isn’t an isolated incident, but part of a wider pattern of behaviour from a Labour Party that neither understands nor cares for rural communities. Increases in National Insurance, and new taxes on fertiliser and double cab pickup trucks will all make it increasingly difficult for farm businesses to survive.
Labour ministers have also been flat footed to respond to those needing support in the face of the second worst harvest on record, haven’t made enough progress on funding new technology to boost productivity, and won’t even commit to continuing the popular Farm to Fork summit in Downing Street, described as “vital” by the National Farmers Union.
No one could doubt farmers are some of the most hard-working people in the country. Yet they have been completely let down by this Government.
There is still time to change course, and that is what Labour must now do. A failure to do so will not only leave broken promises, but lasting damage to British farming for generations to come.
Steve Barclay MP is the former Environment Secretary
