Keir Starmer Defends Controversial Farm Inheritance Tax Policy

The Prime Minister acknowledges revenue-raising motive behind tax changes, sparking backlash from farmers and opposition MPs.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer admitted that the government's changes to inheritance tax on agricultural land were aimed at raising revenue rather than targeting tax avoidance by the wealthy.
The policy ends inheritance tax exemptions for farms valued over £1 million, with thresholds reaching up to £3 million in some cases, prompting concerns about its impact on family farms.
Farmers and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) have criticized the policy as an indiscriminate measure that could force the sale of generational farms to cover tax liabilities.
Starmer defended the policy before the Liaison Committee, stating it was necessary to fund public services and insisting most farms would remain unaffected, though NFU figures dispute this claim.
Protests, including tractor demonstrations and port blockades, have highlighted rural discontent, with opposition MPs accusing Starmer of being out of touch with farming communities.