"It is devastating that our children are suffering with anxiety and insecurity since Rachel Reeves's budget and their future. This Government has to listen to farming families and do a u-turn on the farm tax."
Children from farming backgrounds have been urged to write Christmas letters to Sir Keir Starmer in a bid to make him realise the true impact of the family farm tax on the future of British farming.
Simon Broad, a beef farmer from Penshurst in Kent, came up with the idea while taking part in one of the farming demonstrations in London last month over Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Budget.
Ms Reeves confirmed that some Agricultural Property Reliefs (APR) would be taken away, alongside a 20% tax on inherited agricultural property and assets worth over £1 million.
Farm kids are urged to write a letter to Sir Keir Starmer so he can hear personal stories about what the Budget means for farming families across the country. Letters to be delivered to Downing Street on January 2nd at 12.30pm. Families urged to meet outside Whitehall at 11.30am. pic.twitter.com/amPwlxoNnC
— Chris Brayford (@FGChrisBrayford) December 19, 2024
Mr Broad said he wanted to give children a voice on their future and make the Prime Minister understand the severity of the new Government's actions on the farming sector.
His children have featured in a video published on social media which has asked children to express their feelings about the future of farming in a letter.
Save British Farming founder Liz Webster said she has an appointment to hand-deliver all the letters to Downing Street on January 2 at 12.30pm.
She has urged farmers and families to join a wider demonstration on the day before delivering the letters to the Prime Minister.
Explaining his idea in more detail, Mr Broad said: "After taking part in the recent tractor protests, I wanted to come up with a way of involving the children as my son is very passionate about the cause.
"But as he's only aged 10, he obviously could not join me in tractor.
"And we are fighting for their future in the industry as much, if not more than, our own."
Ms Webster said the Government needs to listen to farmers, young and old, about the impact of taking away APR and imposing the family farm tax on hard-working businesses.
"Farms are central to Britain's rich history and identify, every farming family knows the pivotal role farms play in our country," Ms Webster added.
"It is devastating that our children are suffering with anxiety and insecurity since Rachel Reeves' Budget and their future.
"This Government has to listen to farming families and do a u-turn on the family farm tax."
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