Dr Neil Hudson MP for Epping Forest, and Shadow DEFRA Minister of State, has again joined with the growing number of Conservatives opposing the Family Farm Tax, adding his name to a letter from Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Victoria Atkins MP and Harriet Cross MP urging the Prime Minister to fully reverse changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief in the Autumn Budget on 28 October.
The letter, signed by Conservative politicians from Westminster, the Senedd and Holyrood, warns that the sector faces a "once in a generation crisis," with more than 6,000 agricultural businesses ceasing trading since Labour's Family Farm Tax was announced in October 2024. It states that, as a direct consequence of the changes, three in five agribusinesses expect to cut capital investment by up to 20% to save for future inheritance tax burdens.
The letter also notes that the new Prime Minister had previously signalled a willingness to look again at the policy, and the Conservatives are now urging him to act to save family farms. Dr Hudson has long warned that without a thriving farming sector, food security, employment and rural economies will all suffer, and has urged the Prime Minister to finally listen to farmers and reverse these "damaging measures."
As a Shadow DEFRA Minister, Dr Hudson has been a consistent opponent of the Family Farm Tax, having long argued from the Conservative front bench for it to be scrapped, including using his very first opportunity in the role to call on the Government to reverse it, and raising it again in a Parliamentary Debate this week.
Earlier this year, Dr Hudson joined the Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch and Sir James Cleverly at an NFU roundtable at the Essex Young Farmers Centre, where he reaffirmed the Conservative Party's commitment to British farming and its pledge to scrap the Family Farm Tax.
Shadow DEFRA Minister of State, Dr Neil Hudson MP, said:
"The farming sector is facing a once-in-a-generation crisis because of Labour's damaging Family Farm Tax.”
"More than 6,000 agricultural businesses across the country have ceased trading, and one in four family farms have already cut jobs, since these cruel inheritance tax changes were announced. If the Prime Minister doesn't change course, the consequences will be catastrophic. On top of this, farmers are facing huge challenges just now with the drought conditions and Bluetongue virus cases surging across the country.”
"Food security is national security. We cannot afford to put it at risk with this heartless tax that is devastating our hard-working farming sector.
"We in Shadow DEFRA will continue to do everything with our Conservative colleagues to get the Government to reverse this disastrous policy as a matter of urgency.
"The new Prime Minister should use his first budget to fully reverse the farming inheritance changes before it's too late."
This is the latest stage in the Conservatives' campaign to axe the Family Farm and Business Taxes, following seven votes forced in Parliament, a petition signed by over 300,000 people, and Conservative support for farmers' demonstrations in Westminster and across the country.
