The plight of farmers across North Yorkshire were highlighted by their local MP in a major rally against Labour’s Family Farm Tax plans yesterday (Tuesday).
More than 10,000 farmers and supporters descended on London to demonstrate about plans, announced in the Budget, to impose inheritance tax at 20% on agricultural assets worth more than £1million from April 2026.
The protestors included nearly 50 from the Thirsk and Malton constituency who rallied around Parliament to call on the Government to reverse the Family Farm Tax.
Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake said: “Labour’s ideological decision to target farmers – despite promising not to do so – has the potential to wreck farmer’s lives and the whole industry. "Claiming to not tax 'working people' and then slapping this tax on farmers is an insult to some of the most hardworking and resilient people in our nation. I will do everything I can both locally and nationally to support the NFU's campaign to reverse this decision."
Labour insists the shake-up will only affect the wealthiest 500 estates each year, and bring in £520million worth of tax, with every penny needed given the claimed £22billion black hole left by the Tories. With other allowances, it says as much as £3million could be passed on without paying inheritance tax. However, the National Farmers Union and the Country Land and Business Association have estimated up to 70,000 farms could still be affected,
Tom Bradshaw, President of the National Farmers Union, said: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the industry this angry, this disillusioned, this upset”, calling the Budget changes a “stab in the back”. “I’ve given a heartfelt plea to the Chancellor to sit down with me so that we can sort this policy out.”
Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “This Labour Government has just allocated £5billion to support sustainable food production in the UK. That’s the biggest budget of that kind in our country’s history and it shows that we’re backing farmers. All of that shows farmers that this is a government on their side and the changes to inheritance tax will affect only around 500 farms. The vast majority of farmers will pay nothing more.”
Celebrity Jeremy Clarkson, who bought a farm five years ago which now features in a hit TV series, told the crowd: “I know a lot of people across the country in all walks of life took a bit of a kick on the shin with that Budget. You lot got a knee in the nuts and a hammer blow to the back of the head.” He added: “For the sake of everybody here, and for all the farmers stuck at home paralysed by a fog of despair over what’s been foisted on them, I beg of the Government to be big and accept this was rushed through, it wasn’t thought out and it was a mistake.
“That’s the big thing to do, and back down.”
A petition at stopthefarmtax.com has been set up for people to back British farming and oppose the new tax.