Labour blasted as farmers forced to sell ‘hundreds of acres’ | Politics | News

Furious farmers “betrayed” by Labour will take to the streets of London this month in a massive protest against the Chancellor’s “cruel” Budget.

A major rally organised by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) will call on the Government to reverse its “appalling” plans to scrap inheritance tax relief for farmers.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves wants to slap owners of farms worth more than £1million, who plan to pass on their land to future generations, with a fresh 20% inheritance tax bill in a move dubbed the “family farm tax”.

Farmers who were previously protected under Agricultural Property Relief (APR), allowing them to pass on landholdings to family members tax-free, argue the policy change is unfair.

And NFU President Tom Bradshaw has now urged his members to descend on Church House in Westminster on November 19 to take their fight to the Government.

Mr Bradshaw said the NFU’s mass lobby of MPs was already “massively oversubscribed”.

The NFU president added that he was “absolutely baffled” at the Government’s decision to “double down” on inheritance tax on farms.

He said: “Farmers, I know many of you are feeling angry and betrayed.

“We share that frustration. We understand what the impact of this ‘family farm tax’ could have on you, your farm and your family.

“We want you, our members, to be involved in the next steps.

“We are organising a mass lobby of MPs in Westminster on November 19.

“It is absolutely crucial that we overturn this ‘family farm tax’, the changes to APR and we make sure that you and your family can have a viable farming business.”

The NFU will use the protest to demand an immediate U-turn of the Government’s plans to reform APR from April 2026.

Mr Bradshaw said he has never seen the farming industry in the position it is in at the moment, and while this has built up over the last four or five years, he said: “Today the tension, the anger, the frustration, it is so, so tangible.

“We will work with the Government to find a resolution, but I just hope that resolution is forthcoming.”

He added: “I just think that what our members are saying to us is this is a Government that doesn’t understand farming.

“They’ve shown us with this budget they just don’t understand what we do to produce the country’s food.”

Mr Bradshaw said he does not understand the Treasury’s figures, adding: “At a time of huge turmoil in the industry, with all the changes since Brexit, since Covid and the Ukrainian crisis, and all the inflation, to bring this change in now, especially when the Secretary of State has talked publicly about understanding the pressures on the industry, the mental health challenges that the industry is facing, and then they brought this change in.

“I really do not understand who has done the modelling or how they’ve got to this decision.”

Greg Smith, Tory MP for Mid-Bucks, told the Express: “Labour have delivered family farms the most gargantuan kick in the backside.

“Total proof Labour have no understanding of how farms actually work, the realities on the ground and the consequences of families having to sell off hundreds of acres to meet the tax bill.

“It’s wrong and Labour should reverse this perverse attack on our food producers.”

Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency in south Cumbria is home to roughly 1,500 farms, said farmers felt “betrayed” by successive governments.

He told the Express: “Rural Britain, and farming in particular, was the big loser from this Budget.

“I see farmers who still feel utterly betrayed by the Tories.

“So they were hoping that this new Government might at least turn the page on that.

“But the APR changes are hugely damaging to tenants who will be the second-hand victims of this.

“They will not have to directly pay for it but landowners will find ways of restructuring which will mean clearances of land.”

He pointed out that many farmers in his constituency were on less than half the minimum wage but would still be considered asset-rich and would therefore have to “liquidate” their family business to pay the tax bill.

He said: “It is dreadful and it will have an impact not only on the fairness of rural life but also massively reduce our ability to feed ourselves as a country.

“It is totally unjust and it is stupid. It is the one part of the Budget I hope will change.

“It is really hard for farmers to get new youngsters into the business and this will only make it worse. It is an appalling decision.”

Reform UK MP and farmer Rupert Lowe said: “Hardworking farmers are the backbone of our society.

“This Budget, along with all its other faults, is guaranteed to have a catastrophic impact on farming communities around the country.

“Reducing Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and raising inheritance tax will lead to record-breaking farm closures, increased debt, and forced sales to cover tax liabilities – a cruel attack on grieving farming families.”

Downing Street has denied inheritance tax on farms will impact food security and insisted there was adequate financial support available to farmers.

Asked if ministers were confident the changes would not hurt food security, a No 10 spokeswoman said: “We are committed to supporting farmers.

“There is an increase in the agricultural budget, there is also an increase in environmental schemes that support sustainable farming and food production.

“So, we would encourage farmers to get in contact where they have concerns so we can ensure everyone is receiving the support and schemes available to them, and also that they have the full details of how the agricultural property relief system works.”

NFU chief Mr Bradshaw will meet Environment Secretary Steve Reed on Monday to discuss farmers’ concerns.

Mr Reed said: “Food security is national security and this Government’s commitment to farmers remains steadfast.

“Our Labour Government has committed £5billion in the agricultural budget over the next two years.

“As part of that, we’ve allocated the biggest ever budget for sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history.

“I completely understand farmers’ anxiety at any changes. But rural communities need a better NHS, affordable housing and public transport we can provide if we make the system fairer.

“That is why the Labour Government has announced plans to reform Agricultural Property Relief.

“Look at the detail and you’ll see that the vast majority of farmers will not be affected at all.

“They will be able to pass the family farm down to their children just as previous generations have always done.”