Farmers descend on Westminster once again

Millie Cook

Farmers have once again descended on Westminster in protest against the government’s controversial inheritance tax raid on family farms, this time with hundreds of tractors descending on Whitehall as the row over tax shows no sign of slowing. 

Not only did the demonstration coincide with Prime Minister’s Questions, but it also overlapped with the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee – which saw tax experts and union bosses grilled on the levy.

Notably, it was pointed out by one lawyer in attendance at the session that most family farms will not be able to benefit from a loophole that is used by the super rich to avoid inheritance tax – despite the government claiming the levy is primarily targeted at wealthy investors. 

Meanwhile, the prime minister used PMQs to criticise opposition parties for “fear mongering” over the tractor tax after he was urged to change course on the levy by Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey. Just minutes earlier, farming union chief Tom Bradshaw told the select committee that the prime minister was now in listening mode…

Millie Cook, Wednesday, December 11, 2024