Farmers are incensed at inheritance tax changes (Image: Getty)
LABOUR MPs have been challenged to vote this week to “save the family farm” from a tax bomb say threatens to “destroy” British agriculture.
Kemi Badenoch’s will force a vote on Labour’s controversial plans to force more rural families to pay inheritance tax.
They say changes announced in the Budget could hit some farming families with tax bills running into millions of pounds.
Farmers have called on MPs to use Wednesday’s vote to show constituents “where they stand”.
Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “Labour’s vindictive family farm tax threatens to destroy British farming as we know it. Labour MPs have a choice to make.
Don’t miss…
“Will they vote to axe the tax and save the family farm? Or will they turn their backs on rural communities and back the Budget of broken promises?”
The ’ Opposition day debate follows the recent mass protest by farmers in London at plans to cap inheritance tax relief on farmland and assets at £1million, with estates paying a 20 per cent rate thereafter.
A spokeswoman for the National Farmers’ Union said: “We’re glad MPs will have a chance to properly debate this destructive family farm tax, and to show their farming constituents where they stand on it in a vote. This is bad policy, built on bad data, with no consultation, and which punishes genuine food-producing family farms whilst failing to catch those who Government claims to be targeting.
“It deserves to be subject to the fullest scrutiny possible.”
Mo Metcalf-Fisher of the Countryside Alliance said: “How much longer can the Treasury continue to turn a blind eye to anxiety and pain this is causing hard working farming families across the country? We need Rachel Reeves to get farming stakeholders around the table to work out a way forward before it’s too late.”
Don’t miss…
But a Labour spokesman claimed that the “forced over 12,000 farmers and agricultural businesses out of business,” adding: “They sold farmers out in trade deals, left them facing spiralling energy bills and failed to spend £300 million earmarked for farmers – leaving them out of pocket as the money sat idly in the Treasury’s coffers.
“This Labour Government’s commitment to British farmers remains steadfast because food security is national security. We are investing £5 billion into farming over the next two years – the largest amount ever directed towards sustainable food production in our country’s history.”
A Government spokeswoman insisted its “commitment to farmers remains steadfast ”.
She added: “Our reform to Agricultural and Business Property Relief will impact around 500 estates a year. For these estates, inheritance tax will be at half the rate paid by others, with 10 years to pay the liability back interest free. This is a fair and balanced approach which fixes the public services we all rely on.”