Henley farmer joins thousands at Westminster march

THOUSANDS of angry farmers filled Westminster streets on Tuesday to vent their rage about the inheritance tax changes announced in the Budget.

Their fury is born out of a sense of betrayal; they believe they and their families could lose everything if the chancellor’s decision isn’t reversed.

Rachel Reeves plans to impose inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million.

Her Budget has been slated by farmers who claim their livelihoods are under threat and could even spell the end of farming for hundreds of them, many of whom have worked on the family farm for decades.

The battle cry was simple: “Scrap the family farm tax or get to grips with no farmers, no food.”

Some warned they will have to sell land to meet the costs and are threatening to strike over the pressures they say they are being put under by government policy There were also warnings over people’s mental health.

Henley farmer Duncan Hawley, 41, was among those protesting in Westminster.

He told the Herald: “I reckon there were 20,000 people there – easily. At times it was emotional to see so many farmers coming together and I had a tear in my eye. Together we are united in trying to overturn this policy which is madness.

“I met Manuela Perteghella, the MP for Stratford, and she’s onboard and while I don’t think the mass protest in Westminster is going to be a silver bullet, it does show we mean business and we will carry on 100 per cent so it is an important first step.

“My ten-year-old daughter, Hattie, 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 find another career? We’d have to sell land to pay that tax and in the end the farms won’t be there so you’ll have solar panels and houses on green fields as prime minister [Keir] Starmer meets his energy and housing targets.”

The National Farmers’ Union has accused the government of “betrayal” over changes to inheritance tax.

In a speech on Tuesday, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “We know the horrendous pressure it is putting on the older generation of farmers who have given everything to providing food for this country.

“We know that any tax revenue will be taken from our children and raised from those that die in tragic circumstances, all within the next seven years.

“The human impact of this policy is simply not acceptable. It’s wrong kicking the legs out from under British food security.

“Our request is very simple, this is a policy that will rip the heart out of Britain’s family farms, launch-ed on bad data, with no consultation, and it must be halted and considered properly.”

Mr Bradshaw said the latest analysis by the NFU suggested 75 per cent of commercial farms, over 50 acres, would be affected by the changes.

But the environment secretary Steve Reed insisted only a few hundred farms would be impacted, rather than the tens of thousands claimed by critics of the tax change.

Land agency Sheldon Bosley Knight has responded to farmers’ concerns.

Peter Williams, the company’s rural director and a farmer himself said: “As the next generation farmer destined to take on the responsibility of running our family farm, the winter budget announcements have brought to the forefront of my mind the need to ensure that the core who hold together the farming sector are protected and generational knowledge is retained.

“Indeed, many of us will now be taking stock and asking ourselves how we can mitigate against the increased challenges facing the rural sector, and indeed our own livelihoods.

“Farmers are always at the forefront of facing new challenges, but the added pressure of IHT liabilities on land which farmers simply want to farm and ensure they retain for the next generation, is of real concern.

“Undoubtedly there are always opportunities out there, and planning early can pave the way for the protection of our livelihoods and legacies.

“Whether it be developing strategies to minimise IHT liabilities, creating a roadmap for the smooth transfer of the farm to the next generation, identifying opportunities to reduce tax burdens, or implementing measures to safeguard assets from potential risks, our firm is dedicated to helping farm owners navigate these changes and protect their legacy.”