Labour’s tractor tax blasted as 22 livid councils revolt in opposition to plan | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Over 20 councils have handed motions condemning Keir Starmer’s Tractor Tax in latest weeks, piling additional stress on the Government to U-turn on the coverage.

In a stark warning to Labour, lots of the 22 councils which have voted to oppose the tax hike are in areas the place Labour lately received MPs for the primary time.

They embrace Norfolk and Cornwall, suggesting Labour’s latest victories within the countryside could possibly be swiftly reversed come the following election.

Town Halls which have handed motions condemning the tax symbolize nearly 10 million voters, in line with evaluation by the Countryside Alliance, or equal to round one in six of the inhabitants throughout England and Wales.

The Countryside Alliance is now pushing for extra councils so as to add their identify to the rising checklist of opposing voices within the new yr.

Mo Metcalf-Fisher of the Countryside Alliance mentioned: “The list of councils opposing the family farm tax is growing quickly and we expect more will be signing up in the New Year.”

“This is undoubtedly a challenge for those rural Labour MPs representing seats in these council areas, many of whom understandably feel like they’ve been thrown under the bus by this hated policy.”

One Town Hall that lately voted to sentence the Tractor Tax was Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire, which went Labour for the primary time since 1966 in July.

Ruscliffe Council has demanded that the newly-elected MP James Naish foyer the Chancellor to drop her tax plans.

Councillor Neil Clarke, who leads the native authority, warns that the adjustments to inheritance tax “threaten to cripple many family farms” which have “no means to pay such punitive amounts”.

The Labour MP for High Peake, Jon Pearce, has been sidelined altogether by his borough council, after the native authority voted to jot down to the Chancellor on to demand a U-turn.

Devon and Norfolk have additionally blasted Rachel Reeves’ “assault” on the countryside and “rural way of life”.

Cornwall, Kent, North Northamptonshire, Rutland, Somerset, Suffolk and Buckinghamshire councils additionally handed motions in opposition to the coverage.

Ms Reeves’ Budget adjustments imply that these beforehand exempt from paying inheritance tax on agricultural land will now pay 20% tax on estates price over £1 million.

Earlier this month a Labour MP with greater than 1,600 farms in his constituency broke cowl to sentence the federal government’s tax raid.

Markus Campbell-Savours, the brand new MP for Penrith and Solway, warned his entrance bench he was “not prepared to break my word” to farmers and can be ready to vote in opposition to the Chancellor’s plans.

He instructed the Commons: “I’ve spent the previous few weeks talking with farmers in Penrith and Solway, making an attempt to grasp the total impression of the inheritance tax proposals understanding that I’ve months left to interact Defra and the Treasury and search essential amendments.

“And, let me be clear, if right this moment was the true vote I’d vote in opposition to the Government’s plans.

“I’m no insurgent, I’m a reasonable. But in the course of the election I learn what I believed had been assurances from my celebration that we had no plans to introduce adjustments to APR. On this foundation, I reassured farmers in my constituency that we’d not. Now, I’m merely not ready to interrupt my phrase.

“I’m instructed that there isn’t any Labour MP within the nation with as many farms as I’ve in Penrith and Solway and I hope my colleagues will perceive my emotions on this.