Home   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Warwickshire farmers to join huge protest rally to fight plans for inheritance tax on their land




Farmers from across Warwickshire are preparing to join a protest rally in Westminster next week to demonstrate against the government’s new inheritance tax on their land.

And they will be taking produce with them to create the UK’s biggest ‘food bank’ to demonstrate what a vital role the indust play

More than 180,000 people have added their names to a national petition calling for the controversial plans to be reversed to save family farms from being broken up and sold.

Duncan Hawley and his wife Nicky pictured at their Henley farm with children Hattie, aged 10, and Tabby, five. Photo: Mark Williamson
Duncan Hawley and his wife Nicky pictured at their Henley farm with children Hattie, aged 10, and Tabby, five. Photo: Mark Williamson

The action follows the announcement in the Budget that a 20 per cent ‘death’ tax will be levied on agricultural land and buildings worth more than £1 million.

Previously, there had been 100% relief on such property.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) says long-established family farms will be forced to sell off land to pay tax bills, making them unviable.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement was made despite multiple warnings from NFU president Tom Bradshaw before the Budget and 3,500 emails sent from union members to MPs.

Immediately after the announcement, Mr Bradshaw said: “The current plans to change APR and BPR need to be overturned and fast.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the plans in her Autumn Budget. Picture: Kirsty O'Connor.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the plans in her Autumn Budget. Picture: Kirsty O'Connor.

“Farmers are rightly angry and concerned about their future and their family farms, having been reassured by ministers in the lead-up to the budget that APR and BPR changes were not on the table.”

There are two elements to next Tuesday’s rally in London because demand to attend has been overwhelming.

The NFU is staging a lobbying meeting in Westminster, where speakers will take to the rostrum, with MPs also invited to attend.

In tandem, hundreds of farmers aim to bring their produce to the capital to create the country’s biggest food bank.

As previously reported by the Herald, selling off land or quitting farming altogether are some of the bitter pills farmers such as Duncan Hawley, 41, say they may have to swallow after the changes to inheritance tax.

The Henley farmer said: “It’s a stab in the back. In February 2023, Keir Starmer came to our conference and said he was the farmers’ friend and would protect farming, but he’s gone back on everything he said.

“I’ve got a ten-year-old daughter, Hattie, who started her own flock of sheep in the summer and she absolutely loves it. I’ve been a sheep farmer all my life and Hattie said she wants to follow in my footsteps, but I’ve now had to tell her she won’t be able to do that because of the Budget. How do I tell her to look for something else? This government doesn’t get farming.”



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More