Keir Starmer must not suck up to farmers in crunch vote tomorrow, Tories have warned (Image: Getty)
Labour MPs must not “suck up to Keir Starmer” when Kemi Badenoch forces a House of Commons vote to save Britain’s family farms, the Tories have warned.
Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins slammed Rachel Reeves’s inheritance tax raid on farmers for risking farm closures, the destruction of rural communities, and increasing food imports.
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The Tories will call on the Treasury not to impose the Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), which risk devastating family farms.
Ms Atkins said on Tuesday: “Tomorrow, Labour MPs have a chance to do the right thing and back British farmers, rather than suck up to Keir Starmer.
“Labour have done untold damage to farming in the few short months they have been in power.
"The vindictive family farm tax will affect 75,000 farms in a generation, with farmers on incomes as low as ￡20,000 whacked with inheritance tax bills worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, on top of a National Insurance hike, an acceleration in the lowering of payments, and cancelled investment grants to protect the countryside.
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“We care about high-quality food, looking after our countryside and not relying on imported food.
"Labour’s family farm tax will close farms down, concrete over our countryside and make us reliant on imported food. Their bad decisions will be felt long after they’re removed from office.”
The Daily Express’s Save Britain’s Family Farms crusade demands that the Government U-turns on its inheritance tax raid.
Labour’s changes to APR mean farmers will have to pay the levy of 20% on properties and land worth more than ￡1million, with a higher threshold of ￡3million for couples passing on their farms.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said: "The Treasury still appears to be in denial about the reality this unpopular policy will have on the future of British farming.
“This is despite repeated warnings from rural stakeholders that the impact figures they have used to justify the tax hike are alarmingly short-sighted.
"It is important that the rural community and concerned members of the public continue bombarding MPs' email inboxes ahead of Wednesday’s vote, so they understand the strength of feeling out there against the family farm tax.
“We need MPs, irrespective of party, to stand up for our farmers and we hope that Rachel Reeves reconsiders this damaging policy before it’s too late".
Labour won dozens of rural constituencies in its landslide General Election victory.
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An analysis by the Tories suggested Penrith and Solway, in Cumbria, is the Labour constituency with the most farms at 1,665.
Derbyshire Dales, which Sir Keir’s party won with a majority of just 350, has 1,250 farms.
Hexham is another Labour constituency with more than 1,000 farms.
But at least 47 other Labour areas have between 60 and 994 farms.
The vote in the Commons comes as councillors across the country put forward motions demanding a reversal of Labour's family farm tax.
On Thursday North Northamptonshire Council, which covers a large rural area in the East Midlands, will debate such a motion on the same day as the London Assembly.
The Daily Express understands Portsmouth City Council and Suffolk County Council are likely to face similar votes in the coming weeks.
Buckinghamshire Council, like Cornwall, also passed a motion against the family farm tax last week.
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London Assembly member Susan Hall said: "The family farm tax threatens the future of British farming and our food security.
“Despite all the warnings from rural stakeholders and experts, Rachel Reeves and the Treasury just aren’t listening.
"Farmers work tirelessly day-in, day-out, in all weather conditions, and against countless barriers, to put food on the plates of family dinner tables and restaurants across London.
“Our capital is dependent on farmers to help fuel its citizens with their healthy, seasonal, and sustainable produce.
"I hope that all Assembly Members, regardless of political party, back this motion to send Rachel Reeves a message, before it’s too late.”
Sir Keir met Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers' Union (NFU), last week following a mass protest of 13,000 farmers in London last month.
At the heart of the spat between the Government and farmers is disagreement about how many will be affected by the tax changes.
While ministers estimate some three-quarters of farmers will not be impacted, the NFU claims plans to bring together the agricultural tax break with another for business property will impact 70,000 farms over time.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies said it believes “significantly fewer” than the 500 farms a year estimated by the Government will be impacted by the changes.
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701 Comments
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53 Comments
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A Labour Party spokesman said:“The Conservatives utterly failed the farming industry during their 14 years in government, forcing over 12,000 farmers and agricultural businesses out of. They sold out British farmers in trade deals, left farms facing rocketing energy bills and allowed ￡300 million earmarked for farmers to sit idly in the Treasury’s coffers instead of in their pockets.
"This Labour Government’s commitment to farmers remains steadfast because food security is national security. That is why are investing ￡5 billion into farming over two years - the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country's history.“The changes to agricultural property relief set out in the Budget will only impact around 500 estates a year.
"This is a fair and balanced approach that protects small family farms while also helping to fix our public services after the Conservatives recklessly left a ￡22 billion black hole in the nation’s finances.”