Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins gives message to Lancashire farmers

“Individuals will need to consider their own circumstances and may wish to speak to a tax advisoror accountant.

That was the blunt response by Labour’s Treasury Minister, James Murray MP to Andrew Snowden, the Conservative MP for Fylde, who raised a question in Parliament about guidance forsmall farmers wishing to keep their farms in the family. 

That one remark tells you everything about Labour, whose disconnect with the countryside meansthat they have no understanding of the pressures of running farms or the importance of family farms. 

Labour have broken their promise to rural communities by introducing the Family Farm Tax. Thiswill devastate family farms, put at risk British food security and increase food prices and contributeto higher inflation.

Having grown up in Lancashire, I know how important the diversity of Lancashire farms are, from arable and market-gardening to cattle and sheep farming. Many of the county’s largestf arms are liable to be hit by the tax. I know farmers across the area have champions in people such as Andrew on the Fylde, who has been listening to farmers across his constituency about what Labour’s farm tax will mean for them.

 Before the election, Keir Starmer pledged that Labour would look after farmers, but they have broken their promise and shocked farmers by introducing this unfair tax. It will devastate family farms in places such as Lancashire, putting British food security at risk and leading to an increase infood prices, contributing to higher inflation. 

This is because if farms have to be sold to pay enormous inheritance tax bills then there is no guarantee that the farmland will continue to be used

to grow food.  Labour have made a political choice to target family farms and because they don’t understand businesses, the impact of their Family Farm Tax will be felt, not just by the farmers they betrayed, but by families across the country paying higher prices for food.

  Of course, abuse of the tax system must be tackled, but those British families who are asset rich and cash poor are the ones that Labour is targeting. The wealthiest landowners will be able to afford awyers to litigate and plan their way out of Labour’s tax raid. The ones who will struggle are tenant farmers and those in the middle, whose annual incomes can be around £20-40,000 - whilst facing new tax bills of many hundreds of thousands of pounds. .

 Once these family farms are gone, they are gone – and we will feel the consequences a long timeafter this Labour Government is removed from office. This is why Kemi Badenoch, the new leader of the Conservative Party, has promised to reverse Labour's Family Farm Tax.”