MP for Boston and Skegness to join farmers in protest over impact of government’s taxation policy agenda

Thousands of farmers are staging the large-scale event in London today (Tuesday) to urge the Government to change course over its inheritance tax plans.

Lincolnshire is a leader in food production in the UK, with a strong agricultural sector and a variety of food manufacturing, research, and distribution areas:

The county produces 11% of England's crops and livestock, including 30% of its vegetables, 20% of its sugar beet, 19% of its poultry, and 19% of its ornamental crops.

M Leggate and Sons Farms produce vegetables on 1000 acres and 750 acres of farmers’ rented land between Boston and Skegness, and employs 150 people seven days a week.

However, a director of the firm who Lincolnshire World spoke to says he fears for many of the county’s farms.

"Ours is a family business which started up 100 years ago and has been passed down through four generations,” he said. “When it was started there was zero money but through investment which the government encourages us to do it is now worth millions.

"But you will find most farms do not have a lot of cash because they invest it in new technology and equipment, which the government tells us to do.

"Our business specialises in chop, slice and dice which supermarkets use to prepare ready meals and we have just built a new cold store because of it.

"However, you can’t continue investing like this if the government is going to penalise you for it.

"The one thing everyone needs to survive is food, but going forward I can see a food shortage because the farmers are not going to be able to carry on.”

Backing the farmers and planning to stand side by side with the protestors in London is MP for Boston and Skegness Richard Tice, who has already spoken in the House and on national media several times about how concerned farmers in his constituency are about their futures.

"Most farmers are asset rich and cash poor,” he said “I know one farmer who has cancelled a £1million extension to his strawberry business and another who has cancelled a £300,000 order for equipment.

"Farmers quite rightly are absolutely furious. They were lied to by this government who said in the election campaign there were no plans to change the agricultural property brief and that’s what they have done.”

He said he will stand by the farmers in the protest because no farmers would mean “no food, no life”. “Farming is a critical cornerstone of UK. life, as well as the enabler of our much admired and incredible countryside,” he said.

"Farmers are a gift from God to the UK.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said last night ahead of the protest: “Farmers are the backbone of Britain, and we recognise the strength of feeling expressed by farming and rural communities in recent weeks. We are steadfast in our commitment to Britain’s farming industry because food security is national security.

“It's why we are investing £5 billion into farming over the next two years – the largest amount ever directed towards sustainable food production, rural economic growth and nature’s recovery in our country’s history.

“But with public services crumbling and a £22 billion fiscal hole that this Government inherited, we have taken difficult decisions.

“The reforms to Agricultural Property Relief ensure that wealthier estates and the most valuable farms pay their fair share to invest in our schools and health services that farmers and families in rural communities rely on."

Earlier a spokessperson for the Government told Lincolnshire World around 500 claims for Agricultural Property Relief will be affected. The figures, the spokesperson said, are based on the latest available information from HMRC on actual claims for Agricultural Property Relief, which show that 73% of claims are expected to be unaffected by the changes.

The Government spokesperson said: “With public services crumbling, a £22bn fiscal hole inherited from the previous government and 40% of Agricultural Property Relief going to the 7% of wealthiest claimants, we made a difficult decision to ensure the relief is fiscally sustainable. “Around 500 claims each year will be impacted and farm-owning couples can pass on up to £3m without paying any inheritance tax - this is a fair and balanced approach.”