Keir Starmer blasted for refusing to U-turn on farm tax regardless of suicide fears | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Sir Keir Starmer was blasted for refusing to U-turn on the “cruel” inheritance tax raid on farmers regardless of suicide fears. The Prime Minister was challenged over studies that aged and terminally ailing farmers are contemplating taking their very own lives earlier than the so-called household farm tax comes into drive as confronted a grilling by cross-party MPs in the present day.

Sir Keir steered he was conscious of the studies however insisted the modifications have been “sensible reform”. His feedback sparked contemporary calls from opposition events to ditch the controversial coverage forward of the April deadline.

Tory Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins mentioned: “I’ve repeatedly raised, each within the House of Commons and out of doors of it, the tragic tales shared with me in regards to the human price of this merciless tax.

“Keir Starmer can’t faux he doesn’t know the harm it will do to the lives and livelihoods of farmers.

“He must now keep his pre-election promise to farmers and axe this vindictive tax.”

Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice added: “The fact that Sir Keir Starmer is determined to press on with his tax on family farms despite the very stark warnings he’s had just goes to show how cruel and vindictive Labour’s war on our farming community is.

“Family farms are the backbone of British agriculture, and should be supported, not taxed to death. Only Reform stands up for our farmers and will scrap the family farms tax.”

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said the “extremely heartless remarks” were “made in defence of the indefensible”.

He added: “The Prime Minister ought to cease, pay attention and mirror on the outpouring of issues from the agricultural group and his personal MPs and instantly reset his relationship with the countryside by rethinking this disastrous coverage earlier than it’s too late.”

The Government has confronted an ongoing backlash for slapping inheritance tax on farms price over £1 million in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s first price range, with the modifications as a result of be applied subsequent April.

Sir Keir was requested in regards to the coverage throughout his look earlier than the Liaison Committee, which is made up of senior parliamentarians who chair the assorted Commons committees.

Senior Labour MP Cat Smith requested if the Prime Minister was “aware that some farmers who have a terminal diagnosis now are actively planning to expedite their own deaths”.

Sir Keir replied: “I’ve had discussions with a number of individuals who have drawn all manner of things to my attention.”

Ms Smith mentioned farmers who backed Labour on the final basic election felt “misled” by the modifications which can “pull the rug from underneath farming communities and obliterate the family farm for many farmers”.

The Labour MP for Lancaster and Wyre added: “We’re in a situation now where elderly farmers or farmers with a terminal diagnosis and are in position whereby if they die before April their farm will be passed to the next generation with no tax implications but if they die after the potential of their family farm being completely unviable.

“Can you see how farmers can really feel like this Government hasn’t essentially handled them the way in which they anticipated to be handled as working folks?”

The Prime Minister replied: “I do perceive the priority, and I met with the president of the National Farmers’ Union simply final week, as I’ve met with him earlier than, to run by means of the actual issues they’ve.

“I do think on agricultural property relief, there had to be sensible reform. And I think this is sensible reform.”

Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael, who chairs the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, added: “Nobody should be left feeling – as Cat Smith has just described – that they would be better off dying between now and next April.”

Sir Keir replied: “No, of course. But governments have to bring about sensible reform.”

Mr Carmichael urged Sir Keir to desert the coverage amid criticism from his personal MPs.

The Liberal Democrat MP mentioned: “You don’t have to listen to me. You don’t even have to listen to the farmers out there. You don’t have to listen to the president of the NFU. But why do you not listen to your own party colleagues?”

Sir Keir mentioned: “I do listen to party colleagues all the time.”

The Chancellor restricted the prevailing 100% aid for farms to solely the primary £1 million of mixed agricultural and enterprise property in final 12 months’s autumn price range.

But critics have warned that the coverage may spell the top of household farms throughout the nation.

Markus Campbell-Savours, a rural Labour MP, was stripped of the occasion whip earlier this month for voting towards the inheritance tax plans.

The Government has insisted the modifications, that are anticipated to usher in round £500 million a 12 months for the Treasury, is not going to have an effect on nearly all of farms.

The Daily Express has campaigned for a U-turn with our Save Britain’s Family Farm campaign.

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