Farmer Focus: Farmland tax quarrel should focus on profits
James Kimber © Kathy Horniblow I wasn’t going to mention it, but after a long chat with Farmers Weekly, it seemed to boil down to whether I want to risk upsetting people.
So, I am going to discuss the change in inheritance tax rules.
The Labour Party has stuck the knife in. They have a massive majority and carte blanche to do as they please. I don’t believe they will change the policy (I might eat my words).
See also: Farmers warn of ‘no limits’ in fight against ‘family farm tax’
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I have worked on loads of farms in the past 25 years where there is definitely no succession plan and no communication. They have been a disaster waiting to happen.
Judging by Sir Keir’s recent expenses fiasco, I don’t think he cares.
Anyone who thinks it is OK to have your underwear paid for, and to go to a Taylor Swift concert, rather than exhibit statesmanship is not going to listen to a few country bumpkins.
Some of the electorate will understand that a farmer’s assets and a farmer’s cash are very different things. I believe most people don’t care.
While the demonstration in London was successful, I actually think telling everyone you’re worth millions is poor PR. I may have to hide from 12-bores and pitchforks now.
Then what? We’ve told the public we are worth millions, so let’s go blockade something.
But now there is the Public Order Act 2023, which was rushed through parliament after some clown superglued themselves to a motorway.
This means you can’t stop another person’s lawful right to go about their business. I’d guess supermarkets have expensive lawyers.
The industry has been there and done that. Remember, Farmers for Action stopped a lot of goods being delivered and we thought they would take notice.
How about a strike, like in the late 1980s? I remember one chap breaking the picket line because he needed to sell lambs to buy food for his children.
I need to sell lambs to pay my loans on time (all the time) and buy food for my teenage children.
Ultimately, the only way forward is education. We could afford to pay tax if we made a real profit. Subsistence returns in an era of cheap food are not enough.