Inheritance tax: More than 250,000 back farmers' campaign to overturn Labour's ‘family farm tax’

The NFU campaign attracted an increase of 50,000 signatures over just two days in the lead-up to and after the NFU’s mass lobby of MPs in Westminster on November 19 to take the overall total to 250,000. 

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “I want to send a heartfelt thanks to the public from the whole farming community for backing our campaign to overturn the family farm tax. 

"At a time when farmers believe government has lied to them and let them down badly, British farmers and growers are heartened to know that they have the support of so many members of the public.

“Earlier on in the year the public decided farming was the second most trusted profession in Britain after only nursing. 

"This milestone of support is further confirmation that the public values British farmers and growers for all they provide and believes they deserve more than this badly designed and poorly targeted policy that could decimate working family farms across Britain.  

“Ministers must rethink the changes to Agriculture Property Relief and Business Property Relief and protect the people they say they want to. 

"If they don’t, they risk reducing our food security and potential food price rises for shoppers as the cost of producing food increases."

It comes as farmers in the region continue to fight for a change to the plans.

James Mottershead, Shropshire farmer and NFU poultry chair, said: “I thought it was amazing to see so many farmers in London.

"I wish it wasn’t necessary, but farmers, rural businesses and those from the countryside have made their voices heard and we have made our case to Government that what they are proposing can’t continue.

“This family farm tax threatens livelihoods, threatens food security and sometimes you have to take a stand, which is exactly what the NFU, its members and the industry is doing.

“We need to keep making the case to our politicians to change this horrendous policy.”