A farming minister has admitted the Government is investigating department discrepancies over the number of farms impacted by its inheritance tax raid amid threats of a national strike.
Daniel Zeichner said he is “working with others to try and understand why the figures look so different” after the Treasury and Environment Department’s statistics for those affected were inconsistent.
The government’s argument that just 28% of farmers will be affected by the new inheritance tax rules is in direct conflict with data produced by its own environment department, the National Farmers Union president (NFU) Tom Bradshaw said.
He has pointed to environment department figures which are said to indicate that the true percentage of farms affected by the Agricultural property relief changes will be 66%.
Mr Zedichner added: “We are in discussions to try and get a better understanding of how this [tax change] is going to pan out.”
It comes as Britain could face its first-ever national farming strike from this Sunday in protest at Labour’s inheritance tax raid.
Welsh pressure group Enough is Enough called on “those who are able” to begin a week-long strike with the aim of stopping produce leaving their farms.
The group said: “We are being suffocated by a government that seems determined to destroy our livelihoods, our future and our ability to feed the nation.
“This country will be facing massive food shortages with potential significant price increases and the demise of the rural economy along with a serious implications of food security.
“We simply cannot allow the destruction of our industry to continue and our responsibility to feed our nation be taken away. This is a last resort but we as farmers are in despair as we simply cannot afford to provide food to the public.
“We ask this government to talk to us, to listen to us, and allow us the freedom and flexibility to feed our nation.”
The Daily Express has launched the Save Britain’s Family Farms crusade to demand Rachel Reeves U-turns on the inheritance tax move.
Her changes mean farmers will have to pay tax on any property or land they pass on to their descendants worth more than £1 million.
A rate of 20% of anything above this will be charged.
Thousands of farmers are also planning to protest in London next week, with a march through the capital and a NFU rally set to take place on Tuesday.
Meanwhile Scotland’s First Minister has given farmers a “cast-iron” guarantee to return £46 million taken from the agriculture budget to combat the cost-of-living crisis.
The cash was taken in 2022 and 2023 as the country grappled with soaring costs and energy bills.
John Swinney said: “The £46 million that the Government has utilised for short-term purposes to ensure that we could deal with the effects of inflation in other areas of the budget will be returned to this portfolio for use in the agricultural sector.
“I give that cast-iron commitment on behalf of the Scottish Government.”
He said changes to inheritance tax brought forward by the UK Government in the Chancellor’s first Budget last month are having a “chilling effect” on farming.
Jonathan Charlesworth said his father John, 78, took his own life the day before the Budget to avoid Labour’s inheritance tax.
It was claimed that John had been “eaten away” by the thought of his family losing their £2 million estate, which had been in the family for nearly 70 years.
Anyone distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
