Stratford MP supports local farmers with their National Day of Unity against the new inheritance tax

Stratford MP Manuela Perteghella visited Hillborough Farm, near Cranhill, on Saturday (25th January) to meet local farm businesses and support the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) National Day of Unity.

Farmers across the country gathered in local locations to pile more pressure on the government to stop the controversial family farm inheritance tax.

This included a run of 50 tractors through Warwick and Leamington, which also raised money for RABI (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution).

After speaking to local farming businesses threatened by the destructive policy, Mrs Perteghella said: “The government’s inheritance tax measure is poorly thought out, and squarely targets the small family farms it was apparently supposed to protect.

“There was no impact study or consultation with the rural sector by the treasury, and consequently the future of family farms across south Warwickshire and the UK is now in real jeopardy.

“After years of the Conservatives taking rural communities for granted, it is deeply disappointing to see more of the same from this new government. Liberal Democrats will fight tooth and nail to protect family farms from these changes, and we are campaigning hard to get the treasury to reverse this tremendously damaging policy.”

Stratford district farmers warned that the current government policy puts their businesses were in jeopardy.

Farmer John Baylis, of Hillborough Farm, said: “The government needs to work with family farms like ours to achieve its food security and nature restoration goals - but those goals are now seriously at risk. Rachel Reeves has been refusing to even take a call from the NFU to discuss the disastrous problems she’s caused, so it’s clear that farmers and growers don’t matter to her, and there’s enormous anger and frustration at the contempt the government is showing to our industry. However, it’s also been great to hear from members of the public that do care about their food chain and are backing British farming. We’re grateful for their support.”

He continued: “As a supplier to Morrisons, we’re pleased that they, and other supermarkets, have endorsed the NFU’s calls for proper consultation and for the government to think again. With inflation, tightening margins, and extreme weather events becoming more common, UK agriculture is already being heavily punished, and this policy is a death knell. The unjust inheritance tax means that our farm, and lots more like us, simply won’t be viable businesses in the future, as we don’t earn anywhere near enough profit to afford to pay it. We’re now at breaking point, and the government needs to u-turn.”

Richard and Kate Smith, from Wessons Farm and The Farm Shop Bidford, added: “The inheritance tax changes threaten to devastate an industry that is already struggling, with the cost of production hitting an all-time high, with very low returns.

“Our local farm shop in Bidford has been well received and well supported by people who want and can afford high welfare, good quality, British produce - but we are constantly pressured, as producers and retailers, by cheaper imports from huge corporate businesses. The future at the moment looks bleak for small to medium British farms and the new tax policy is the last straw.”

A petition signed by more than 270,000 members of the public calling for an overturn of the tax was handed in to 10 Downing Street by the NFU on Friday. Visit nfuonline.com/stopthefamilyfarmtax.