Labour has been urged to delay its controversial inheritance tax raid on farmers by a year. MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee called on the Government to look again at the reforms and push back implementation from April 2026 to April 2027 in a report released today.
The cross-party group of MPs said the pause “would allow for better formulation of tax policy and provide the Government with an opportunity to convey a positive long-term vision for farming”. They added that it would also protect vulnerable farmers who would have “more time to seek appropriate professional advice”.
The Government has faced an ongoing backlash for restricting the current 100% inheritance tax relief for farms to the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property in the autumn budget last October.
Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael, who chairs the committee, said: “There is an opportunity here to rebuild trust and confidence in the farming sector and I hope that the Government will take our recommendations seriously.
“The way in which the Government has behaved over recent months has clearly negatively affected the confidence and wellbeing of farmers.
“The Government, however, seems to be dismissing farmers’ concerns and ignoring the strength of feeling evidenced in the months of protests that saw tractors converge on Westminster and up and down the country.
“We have seen that Defra’s communications with farmers have been poor, with confusing and sometimes contradictory messaging. There has been a lack of adequate consultation.
“Policies affecting farmers have been announced without due consideration or explanation of their impact or their rationale.
“Farmers ought to be the essential element in the Government’s plans both to achieve food security and to restore and protect the environment. When they make decisions for their businesses, farmers have to plan for the long term – but the landscape they are operating in currently is unclear. Farmers urgently need clarity, certainty and advance notice of changes – they cannot be expected to rethink their businesses on a whim. It is essential that Defra focuses on rebuilding trust through good-faith communications with the sector.”
Campaigners have warned the policy, which has sparked major protests, risks destroying family farms across the country.
The Daily Express has been campaigning for a U-turn on the policy with our Save Britain’s Family Farm crusade.
Defra has been contacted for comment.
