Farmers from across the UK will stage a National Day of Unity in January, organised by the UK’s farming unions, to keep pressure on the government to halt the controversial changes to inheritance tax.
On 25 January, farmers will hold gatherings in towns across the UK to thank the British public for their support, and to signal that the campaign will not stop until the tax is subject to consultation and proper scrutiny.
The day’s events will vary from region to region but will emphasise the message that the tax will “crush family farms” and that farmers “are not going away. This will go on as long as it needs to go on,” said NFU president Tom Bradshaw.
“Farmers haven’t taken this destructive policy lying down and we won’t give up. There is too much at risk – our families, our future, our heritage and the undermining of the very sector that produces a safe, secure supply of British food,” he added.
In December, Sir Keir Starmer faced questioning on the planned changes to inheritance tax at his first appearance in front of the cross party Liaison Committee.
Grilled over the numbers of farmers that would be affected by the tax once it comes into force in 2026, the prime minister defended the government’s published numbers, and said only 500 would likely to be affected per year.
However, Alistair Carmichael, MP, who is chair of the EFRA select committee, told Sir Keir the 500 number did not include those farmers who would be affected by changes to business property relief, rather than agricultural property relief.
Sir Keir defended the policy, saying the Government needed to increase taxes to pay for public services.
Reacting afterwards, Carmichael, said: “The Prime Minister has undermined the case made by Treasury and DEFRA ministers who have sought to pretend that this was about tackling the Jeremy Clarksons and James Dysons of this world. It was clear from his answers that it is just about raising money.
“He could not have been clearer that if farmers are caught and farms have to be sold then that is fine by him.”