During the latest Prime Minister's Questions, Saqib asked the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner MP, about the Labour Government’s controversial family farm tax.
The plight of British farmers has been in the spotlight in recent days after thousands of farmers descended on Whitehall to protest against Labour’s proposals on Agricultural Property Relief.
The Labour Government’s plans, which were announced at the Budget by the Chancellor, puts enormous pressures on family farms right up and down the country. Estimates from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) suggests that 66% of farming businesses could be hit.[1]
Saqib, who represents a thriving rural constituency, has spoken up against the Labour Government’s proposals which he claims will threaten the UK’s food security and open up more green-belt for housebuilding. In previous debates in the House of Commons, Saqib has claimed that the Government’s proposals are a ‘travesty’ and that this tax will have ‘damaging consequences for farmers and everyone in the country’.
At Deputy Prime Ministers Questions, Saqib mentioned his meeting with his constituents Duncan, Nicola and ten-year-old Hattie Hawley who visited him in Parliament on 19 November. He said that their farm was under threat because Labour were ‘declaring war on British farmers.’
Polling from More in Common shows 57 per cent of the public support exempting farmers from inheritance tax which is proving to be one of the most heated debates after the Chancellor’s Budget in October.[2]
[1] Daily Mail (17 November 2024; link)
[2] The Daily Telegraph (17 November 2024; link)
- Saqib has written in The Sunday Telegraph and Daily Express on this issue. The columns can be found below:
Daily Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/11/02/labour-attacking-farmers-house-building-budget/
Daily Express: https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1973657/labour-farm-tax-russia-china
- Saqib has spoken in two debates in the House of Commons on this issue. They can also be found below:
HC Debate Income Tax (Charge) 4 November 2024: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-11-04/debates/138251FC-ADC6-4EB1-B5C4-C67A3D449968/IncomeTax(Charge)#contribution-29A93C03-62A3-44FC-B506-E7F841FE9F04
HC Deb Rural Affairs 11 November 2024: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-11-11/debates/3F2A5E5F-CF4C-47F8-977E-1E7A68006885/RuralAffairs#contribution-52C6C7A4-A298-4133-9DD8-BF86FE754181
