A political firestorm erupted in the UK Parliament as Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner clashed with Conservative critics over Labour’s controversial plan to extend inheritance tax to some farms. The heated exchange came a day after hundreds of angry farmers rallied outside 10 Downing Street to protest what they see as a betrayal by the Labour government.
Tories Accuse Labour of ‘Ruining It’ for Farmers
Leading the charge against Rayner was Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart, who claimed he had spoken to outraged farmers across the country. “This inheritance tax grab shows that Labour has turned its back on British farming,” Burghart declared in the House of Commons. “The Tories would never betray our hardworking farmers like this!”
Rayner fired back, insisting that Labour remains fully committed to supporting the UK’s vital agriculture sector. “This government has added £5 billion to the farming budget to help our farmers thrive,” the deputy PM retorted. “We’re investing in British farming for the long term, not offering empty promises like the Conservatives.”
Farmers Feel ‘Stabbed in the Back’
But for the farmers who took to the streets of London in protest, Labour’s words rang hollow. “We feel absolutely stabbed in the back,” fumed one demonstrator, who asked not to be named. “Inheritance tax could destroy family farms that have been passed down for generations. The Tories would never do this to us.”
This inheritance tax is a death sentence for small farms like mine. We’re already struggling and this could finish us off.
Anonymous farmer at the protest
Other protesters waved signs with slogans like “Don’t Tax Our Children’s Future” and “Labour: Feather Our Nests, Not Your Own!”. The demonstration made it clear that many in the farming community feel deeply let down by a party they thought was on their side.
A Balancing Act for Labour
For Labour, the inheritance tax controversy reflects a tricky balancing act. On one hand, the party has vowed to protect family farms and support the agriculture sector. But it also faces pressure to raise revenue to fund its ambitious spending proposals.
Inheritance tax on farms is projected to raise up to £500 million per year by 2030. That’s money Labour needs to deliver on its promises.
Senior Labour source
Ultimately, Rayner and her colleagues will need to find a way to reassure farmers that their livelihoods are safe, while still generating the funds required for Labour’s policy agenda. It’s a difficult needle to thread, and the Tories sense an opportunity to paint Labour as anti-farmer.
A Critical Constituency
With an election looming in 2024, Labour can ill afford to alienate the farming community, which wields significant influence in many rural constituencies. If anger over the inheritance tax plan festers, it could cost Labour vital seats come election day.
But Rayner and her team remain confident they can win farmers over by emphasizing Labour’s record of support for agriculture, from subsidies and grants to trade deals that open up new export markets. The £5 billion budget boost Rayner touted is also likely to feature heavily in Labour’s rural campaign pitch.
“Judge us by our actions, not by Tory spin,” one Labour campaign strategist urged. “This government has consistently stepped up for British farmers, and that isn’t going to change. We’re on their side, now and for the future.”
A Critical Choice
As the protest signs come down and the sound of angry chants fades from Whitehall, farmers across the UK face a fateful choice. Do they trust Rayner’s assurances and stick with Labour? Or do they gamble on the Tories’ promise to scrap the dreaded “death tax” on farms?
It’s a tough call, there’s no doubt about that. A lot of us feel torn between Labour’s record and the Tories’ rhetoric. Only time will tell which way farmers will jump.
Longtime agricultural journalist in London
With the political battle lines drawn and tensions running high, one thing is certain: The fight for the hearts and minds of British farmers has only just begun. For Angela Rayner and Labour, convincing this vital constituency that they haven’t been “ruined” may be the key to holding onto power. But with trust fraying and tempers flaring, that’s far from a sure bet.
