Labour MPs subvert Family Farm Tax

As thousands of tractors processed through the streets of Westminster and the country yesterday (10 February), the House of Commons saw its own procession of Labour MPs rising to express, on the parliamentary record, their unease with the Family Farm Tax. 

The three-hour Westminster Hall debate on the Chancellor’s changes to inheritance tax reliefs affecting family farms was prompted by an e-petition now bearing more than 150,000 signatures. Supported by the Countryside Alliance, The Independent has broken them down by constituency to reveal the Labour MPs most threatened by the growing revolt. 

Petitions Committee member Ben Goldsborough MP (South Norfolk) opened the debate, becoming the first of several Labour MPs who, while carefully avoiding direct criticism of the Budget or his party’s front bench, pointedly conveyed what he described as “genuine concerns” he had heard from local farmers. 

As has become typical in these debates, Mr Goldborough and others used farmers’ own words to spell out the threat the tax poses to the future of family farms. He then shared CLA and NFU analysis casting doubt on Treasury estimates of the number of farms that will be affected each year, and suggested “solutions” short of scrapping the tax that included shortening the tapering period for older farmers and introducing a clawback system so inheritance tax would only be due if a farm is sold. His party colleagues’ contributions proceeded along similar lines. 

Sean Woodcock MP (Banbury) quoted a farmer whose level of concern, he said, “merits the Government’s listening.” 

Rachel Taylor MP (North Warwickshire and Bedworth) wanted to give her local farmers “a voice and convey their concerns directly to the Minister.” 

David Smith MP (North Northumberland) wondered whether “the relief element of the policy could be recalibrated.” 

Julia Buckley MP (Shrewsbury) asked for “a temporary transitional extension to the taper” so that older farmers could pass assets to the next generation. 

Sam Rushworth MP (Bishop Auckland) passed on requests for “some meaningful tweaks that will help the policy to better target the goals that it intends to achieve.” 

Chris Hinchcliff MP (North East Hertfordshire) asked “Treasury officials to at least model some of those changes, to help to advance the debate” as it continues. 

Chris Bloore MP (Redditch) acknowledged his colleagues’ “attempts to project possible tweaks to the legislation, with feedback from our members.” 

While a handful of Labour interventions overlooked inheritance tax and instead concentrated fire on the last Conservative government, apart from the Treasury Minister, the urban James Murray MP (Ealing North), no Labour Member who spoke offered the Chancellor’s policy unqualified support. 

It remains to be seen whether the careful, couched and caveated disquiet the succession of Labour MPs brought to the House was co-ordinated with party whips or is an early harbinger of rebellion. What is clear is that they were responding under pressure from the electorate, all thanks to campaigning by the Countryside Alliance and from across the rural sector. It is working, but never has it been more important to keep that pressure up. 

If you have not already done so, please sign our e-lobby to Stop the Family Farm Tax today.