MP claims nearly 300 farms in north Shropshire would be hit by Labour's 'family farm tax'
A Shropshire MP has claimed that nearly 300 farms within her constituency will be affected by the 'family farm tax'.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan addressed Parliament reinstating her call to 'axe the family farm tax' as thousands of farmers descended on Westminster and gridlocked roads with tractors yesterday (Monday, February 10).
The Liberal Democrat MP said she spoke for hundreds of farmers in Shropshire during a Westminster Hall debate.
Mrs Morgan has claimed that 288 farms across her constituency would be affected by Labour's changes to inheritance tax.
The treasury has said that 28 per cent of farms could be affected by the proposed changes. As North Shropshire boasts more than 1,000 farms, covering more than 62,000 hectares, Mrs Morgan has claimed that - using this percentage - more than 288 farms will be affected in the region.
She spoke during Monday's Westminster Hall debate saying that North Shropshire is in the 'top 10' of constituencies in Britain for the number of people calling on the Government to 'scrap the family farm tax'.
The North Shropshire MP said 713 people from her constituency have signed a petition against the plans which prompted the Parliamentary debate.
The MP said she highlighted the "devastating impact" that she believed these reforms would have on farming communities within her constituency and warned that hundreds of families could be forced to sell off land or shut their farms down entirely.
She also dismissed claims that the policy would curb tax avoidance, and argued that it would penalise "genuine farmers while allowing wealthy landowners to continue using farmland for tax benefits".
Mrs Morgan said: "713 people from my constituency signed this petition, and it's easy to see why. The Government itself estimates that 288 farms in North Shropshire will be affected - that’s over a quarter of all farms in the area. Many will have no choice but to sell off land rather than invest in their future. That is simply unacceptable.
"Charging 20 per cent inheritance tax with a decade to pay it off is still a far more attractive option than paying 40 per cent now - this policy does nothing to deter those who land bank for tax purposes. Instead, it punishes those who dedicate their lives to producing food for the nation.
"We cannot afford to lose more family farms. They are vital to our economy, our food security, and our environment. The Government must protect the farming budget and reverse this ill-thought-out policy before it causes irreparable damage. Let’s axe this family farm tax before it’s too late."
