UPDATES: BPR rural summit in London: "Do not crash our economy when we can be part of the answer"

The conference, organised by the group who set up the London farmer protest, hopes this will keep the pressure on the Government after it announced its tax plans

clock • 2 min read
UPDATES: BPR rural summit in London: "Do not crash our economy when we can be part of the answer"

Today (December 16) the organisers of the London farmer protest, which took place on November 19, have set up a conference focused on the possible implications of Business Property Relief.

The idea is to keep pressure on the Government after it announced its 'family farm tax' and showcase that this tax will hurt more than just family farms. 

READ NOW: SAVE BRITAIN'S FAMILY FARMS: Join Farmers Guardian's campaign to help secure the future of family farms


Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch once again committed to reversing the family farm tax.

She said: "We need to think about the next generation...we need to give them hope.

"Many young people believe it is not going to be better.

"We are going to change that. We are on your side and we are going to fix it."


Organiser and farming YouTuber Olly Harrison spoke at today's event and said 'the only thing that is constant in business is change.' 

He said: "My family has been on our farm for four generations; each generation has left its own mark.

"Tractors that cost £500 - £600 now cost a quarter of a million pounds. 

"This is why the BPR bar has been set too low in this Budget.

"I was up on the roof the other day, which my dad put up in 1985, fixing some storm damage - there is still a massive storm raging at the moment and it is able to destroy a lot of businesses in this room."

 He said the stool of motivation has been kicked from underneath farmers.


CLA's Victoria Vyvyan said the Government has got it wrong and they need to have the humility to admit that.

She asked, when has the industry last seen Rachel Reeves on a farm?

"Do not crash our economy when we can be part of the answer."


Farmer Alec Hutchins from Hertfordshire said he wants to know more information and hopes the event can provide more insight.

"My mother is 94 and the main holder of the farm," he said.

"It puts us in a sticky situation in a fairly short time frame.

"I think [Rachel Reeves is too set in stone to reverse it - she has stuck her feet in and I do not think she will do a U-turn." 


Liz Oakley, an arable farmer from north Hertfordshire said her father has invested a lot of money in to the family farm and she is now worried about its future.

She said: "I am sixth generation, my dad is the fifth which is why I came back to take over. 

"He invested every single penny back into the farm and now we are looking at a £2.1 million tax bill when he dies. 

"If I had to pay that bill I would have to sell all of my acres and there would be nothing left for my children.

"The sensible solution would be to raise the threshold to £10 million." 

 

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