he farming industry is feeling “betrayed” regarding changes to inheritance tax, National Farmers’ Union President Tom Bradshaw has said.
National Farmers Union president Tom Bradshaw speaking on Sky News (Image: Sky News)
A farming union boss has slammed Labour’s inheritance tax raid as a “bitter blow” ahead of mass protests this week.
Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers Union, made the comments ahead of a rally with around 20,000 farmers on Tuesday in London.
It comes aid the possibility of strike action this week where food producers stop growing produce until Rachel Reeves U-turns.
Mr Bradshaw said: “I fully recognise why people want to take further action. It feel slike a bitter blow on top of so many other issues that farmers are facing.”
The farming industry is feeling “betrayed” regarding changes to inheritance tax, he added.
Speaking on Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, he said: “I think the industry is feeling betrayed, feeling angry.
“The Government said that this wouldn’t happen, and then the very, very ill considered actions, the lack of understanding of what this means.
“They keep on saying 73% of farms won’t be impacted, but when you look at the farms that are producing the country’s food, a significant proportion of those farms, Defra’s own figures suggest 66% are over the million pound threshold, and these are farms that are producing the country’s food.”
The Chancellor announced last month in her key speech that from April 2026, farms worth more than £1m will face an inheritance tax rate of 20%, rather than the standard 40% applied to other land and property.
The announcement has sparked anger among farmers, who previously did not have to pay any inheritance tax, and argue the change will mean higher food prices, lower food production and having to sell off land to pay.
Mr Bradshaw said: “I think the industry is feeling betrayed, feeling angry.
“The government said that this wouldn’t happen, and then the very, very ill-considered actions, the lack of understanding of what this means.
“They keep on saying 73% of farms won’t be impacted, but when you look at the farms that are producing the country’s food, a significant proportion of those farms, [the government’s] own figures suggest 66% are over the million pound threshold, and these are farms that are producing the country’s food.”
MeanwhiletThe Government’s rise in inheritance tax is a “war on farmers” that will “undermine our food security”, shadow home secretary Chris Philp has said.
