15th November 2024
For immediate release
Alex Burghart MP has held a meeting with local farmers who farm and manage land across his Brentwood and Ongar constituency, to hear their concerns and fears for the future of family farms under the labour Government’s decision to impose a family farm tax.
Despite their assurances ahead of the election, Labour have betrayed farmers by imposing this tax, despite being warned it will have a devastating impact on thousands of farms and could threaten our food security.
Alex Burghart said: “Farming is one of the biggest industries in my constituency, but Labour’s tax will mean farms which have been cared for by families for generations may now have to be sold off. This is a threat to the family farm, our domestic food security and food prices. Farming charities are seeing a worrying number of calls from distressed farmers, and I have heard from people who feel the only way their farms will survive this Family Farm Tax is if they die before next April. Kemi Badenoch and the Conservatives have pledged to reverse this pernicious tax.”
More than thirty local farmers attended a meeting with Alex at Pettits Farm in Doddinghurst to let him hear their views about Labour’s tax plans.
Grace Parrish said: “My whole life has led towards taking the farm over. It is getting harder and harder to make plans and the permanent changes that will be made will not be able to be undone on the change of government. Farming is an uncertain industry and really hard to plan for already, as it depends on the weather and global markets, and this makes it harder.”
Jim Collins from Ashlyns Farm in Ongar told Alex: “I’m on the phone to the accountant everyday. If land has to be sold then not just Inheritance Tax but Capital Gains Tax on land which would have to be sold.”
Jenny Hollington added: “We have weathered 14-17pct AMC mortgages and truly difficult times. We have been near to losing everything but held in there by grit and determination. By some diversification and me going back to work in London, we managed to weather the bad times.
We are fortunate in being within the M25, so had more opportunity to diversify. Most farmers are too remote to have that luxury.”
“This is a devastating tax on our farmers” said Alex Burghart. “I will be campaigning vigorously to reverse the tax decision, and holding every member of this cruel labour Government to account for the pain and distress they are imposing on hard working farmers and their families.” ENDS
