DUP Agriculture spokesperson, Carla Lockhart MP, has condemned the government’s autumn Budget, describing it as a “betrayal of farmers” and a “death tax that will destroy family farms”.

The Upper Bann MP spent most of Wednesday morning in Whitehall and Trafalgar Square, engaging with farmers and protesting against crippling policies, before taking her seat in the House of Commons for the Chancellor’s statement.
 
Speaking after the demonstrations, Carla Lockhart MP said: “Farmers from across the UK travelled to London ahead of the Budget in Parliament. I stood in solidarity with them at the protest, and I what witnessed was anger, frustration, desperation and determination.

“Farmers are at breaking point, and this week’s Budget is nothing short of a direct attack on family farms, many of which have been handed down through multiple generations.

“The Labour government has, once again, refused to scrap the punitive Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) arrangements that hang over every family farm like a guillotine.

“This is not a technical tax matter. It is a ‘death tax’. It is a tax on grief, a tax on the passing of a loved one and a tax that threatens the very survival of family farms and rural communities.”
 
The MP added: “Whilst welcomed by some, making APR and BPR simply transferable between spouses is virtually meaningless. It does nothing to remove the core injustice of this ill-thought-out policy. When a farmer dies, the family faces a bill that will run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. This will potentially force the sale of land, livestock or even entire farms just to satisfy the Treasury. It is immoral, it is destructive and it shows a government utterly detached from rural reality.
 
“Family farms are not just businesses. They are generational, they represent heritage and are the backbone of rural Britain. The death tax puts all of that at risk.”

Carla Lockhart has been opposed to the ‘farm tax heist’ since it was announced twelve months ago. She added: “There has been a severe lack of engagement on the Labour Party’s behalf. The Prime Minister and Rachel Reeves remain defiant and continue to turn their backs on the many thousands of farmers who feed the nation on a daily basis.

“It is very obvious the current government has no understanding of farming. Our farmers are asset rich and cash poor. These inheritance tax changes are a reckless attack on the UK’s agri-food sector. Having broken its pre-election manifesto, the Labour party is paving a path to destroy vital home-grown businesses, create economic turmoil and threaten national food security.”

“It’s obvious Rachel Reeves is completely out of her depth. UK agriculture is a key employer with enormous economic potential, but the government is intent on raising taxes, when it should be focused on stimulating growth. The Chancellor has wasted numerous opportunities to listen and revise her plans. Biting the hand that feeds us is the wrong thing to do.”

The MP added: “This Chancellor may think this chapter is over, but our farmers will not be deterred and nor will I. The fight continues in the coming weeks as Parliament moves directly to the Finance Bill.

“I am determined to work with colleagues on amendments that will challenge these oppressive tax measures. We will scrutinise and fight to demand fairness for the people who put food on our tables, and are the backbone of our rural towns and villages.

“We’re not going away. We will keep the pressure on to defend family farms and stand against this death tax until the Labour Government finally listens. I am also urging the farming unions to step-up and listen to their membership. The time for talking is over, it is time to introduce new tactics as we battle for the survival of family farms.”

Carla Lockhart also criticised London’s Met Police who banned the tractor protest hours before it was due to get underway. “There have been numerous, well-planned and peaceful anti-inheritance tax protests in London over the last year. This one was no different, but the police u-turned at the eleventh hour by withdrawing permission, under what I suspect was political power.

“The farmers were undeterred, but instead of being allowed to congregate and protest in Whitehall, the road was blocked, forcing them to park tractors and machinery in other locations throughout central London. Police actions contributed to traffic chaos on busy approach roads and areas around Trafalgar Square and Westminster.

“I commend the farmers and the protestors for remaining respectful and calm. They have a right to protest. The actions of the police were disgraceful, resulting in unnecessary arrests and the seizure of tractors. There was strong public support and this is a clear message that farmers will not be silenced, and they are not backing down. STOP the Family Farm Tax!