Gabrielle Wilde
Guest Reporter
Reform UK's Richard Tice has issued a stark warning to Labour ahead of tomorrow's major farmer protest in London, claiming the party is "ideologically just wrong and resentful of farmers".
Speaking to GB News, Tice criticised Labour's handling of recent tax changes affecting the rural community.
He said: "Labour is ideologically just wrong and resentful of farmers.
“They've got this badly wrong. Everybody knows that. But if you're in a hole just stop digging. There's an expression in business, the first loss is the best loss. If you got it wrong, just say we've got the number wrong, we've got the threshold wrong.
“You can see what we're trying to do, which is prevent abuse of the tax benefit by very rich people. So you could say you've got to be involved in farming for ten years, not two. You could increase the threshold to 5 or 10 million. These are the simple ways to deal with potential abuse of the tax system.
“Instead, they've just got this completely wrong. They don't understand how farms work. They don't understand that you can be asset rich but cash poor or the impact on growth.
“I know of one farmer that cancelled a £1million extension to his strawberry business under Polytunnels. I know another farmer who's cancelled a £300,000 order for new equipment. I know a Republican in my constituency who's scrapped plans to open a new pub just because of all the pressures around it and the National Insurance and the risk and business property relief and all this stuff.
“So it's already impacting growth. We've seen the disastrous growth figures and farmers, quite rightly, are absolutely furious. They were lied to by this Government they said during the election campaign there were no plans to to change the agricultural property relief and that's what they've done.
“So I think farmers will demonstrate legally, peacefully tomorrow in big numbers.
“Should they go on a sort of a production strike or something? Who knows? But the Government needs to start listening."
Farmers are mobilising against inheritance tax changes introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, which they fear could devastate agricultural businesses.
The demonstration comes as farming leaders work closely with Metropolitan police to ensure a safe, family-friendly event.
Labour's inheritance tax changes, announced in the Autumn Budget, will impose new taxes on farms valued over £1million, removing previous exemptions.
The Government claims these changes will affect only a quarter of farmers, though Defra figures suggest 66 per cent of farms could face unexpected inheritance tax bills.
A Government spokesperson said: “With public services crumbling, a £22billion fiscal hole inherited from the previous government and 40 per cent of Agricultural Property Relief going to the 7 per cent 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 £3million without paying any inheritance tax - this is a fair and balanced approach.”
Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner has defended the changes, stating: "Under 500 farms a year are likely to be affected and I would say to people, take advice because every person's situation is different."
The Treasury argues these changes are necessary to close "loopholes" and fund public sector spending over the next five years.
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Speaking to GB News, Tice criticised Labour's handling of recent tax changes affecting the rural community.
He said: "Labour is ideologically just wrong and resentful of farmers.
“They've got this badly wrong. Everybody knows that. But if you're in a hole just stop digging. There's an expression in business, the first loss is the best loss. If you got it wrong, just say we've got the number wrong, we've got the threshold wrong.
“You can see what we're trying to do, which is prevent abuse of the tax benefit by very rich people. So you could say you've got to be involved in farming for ten years, not two. You could increase the threshold to 5 or 10 million. These are the simple ways to deal with potential abuse of the tax system.
“Instead, they've just got this completely wrong. They don't understand how farms work. They don't understand that you can be asset rich but cash poor or the impact on growth.
“I know of one farmer that cancelled a £1million extension to his strawberry business under Polytunnels. I know another farmer who's cancelled a £300,000 order for new equipment. I know a Republican in my constituency who's scrapped plans to open a new pub just because of all the pressures around it and the National Insurance and the risk and business property relief and all this stuff.
“So it's already impacting growth. We've seen the disastrous growth figures and farmers, quite rightly, are absolutely furious. They were lied to by this Government they said during the election campaign there were no plans to to change the agricultural property relief and that's what they've done.
“So I think farmers will demonstrate legally, peacefully tomorrow in big numbers.
“Should they go on a sort of a production strike or something? Who knows? But the Government needs to start listening."
Farmers are mobilising against inheritance tax changes introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, which they fear could devastate agricultural businesses.
The demonstration comes as farming leaders work closely with Metropolitan police to ensure a safe, family-friendly event.
Labour's inheritance tax changes, announced in the Autumn Budget, will impose new taxes on farms valued over £1million, removing previous exemptions.
The Government claims these changes will affect only a quarter of farmers, though Defra figures suggest 66 per cent of farms could face unexpected inheritance tax bills.
A Government spokesperson said: “With public services crumbling, a £22billion fiscal hole inherited from the previous government and 40 per cent of Agricultural Property Relief going to the 7 per cent 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 £3million without paying any inheritance tax - this is a fair and balanced approach.”
Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner has defended the changes, stating: "Under 500 farms a year are likely to be affected and I would say to people, take advice because every person's situation is different."
The Treasury argues these changes are necessary to close "loopholes" and fund public sector spending over the next five years.
Find Out More...