Epping Forest MP and Shadow DEFRA Minister, Dr Neil Hudson, recently attended an event at the Essex Young Farmers Centre in Little Waltham, hosted by the National Farmers Union, where he met with local farmers and rural stakeholders for a roundtable discussion on the challenges facing British farming.
For the roundtable discussion, Dr Hudson joined the Leader of the Opposition and MP for North West Essex, the Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch, the Shadow Communities Secretary and MP for Braintree, Sir James Cleverly, and the NFU.
During the discussion, Dr Hudson reaffirmed the Conservative Party’s unwavering commitment to supporting British farming and reiterated the Party’s pledge to scrap the deeply unpopular Family Farm Tax.
Despite the Government’s partial U-turn, the Family Farm Tax will still affect many family-run farm businesses across Essex and the wider country. As a Shadow DEFRA Minister, Dr Hudson has consistently worked with the Shadow DEFRA team to press the Government to fully reverse this damaging policy. Notably, he used his very first opportunity in the role to call on Ministers to abandon the tax altogether.
The roundtable brought together farmers and other rural stakeholders from across Essex to share their concerns about the impact of the Family Farm Tax, the Government’s continued lack of understanding of rural communities, and the pressures facing those who live and work in the countryside.
Shadow DEFRA Minister, Dr Neil Hudson MP, said:
“As Shadow DEFRA Minister, it was a pleasure to join the Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, and the Shadow Communities Secretary, James Cleverly, at the NFU roundtable hosted at the Essex Young Farmers Centre and see again firsthand the dedication of our Essex farmers, both young and old.
"Conversations like these highlight the serious challenges facing our rural communities. We Conservatives will always stand shoulder to shoulder with farmers, protect our food security, and we will keep holding the Government to account until it delivers the support our farming communities deserve.”
Commenting, Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch MP, said:
“I have had countless meetings with farmers since becoming leader, attended rallies and received thousands of messages from the farming community, and they all agree on one thing – Labour simply does not understand or care about farming and Britain’s rural communities.
“Labour’s partial U-turn on the Family Farm Tax does not go far enough. The Conservatives would scrap this cruel tax altogether. We should not punish people who do the right thing, maintain our environment, and feed the country. I will always stand up for North West Essex’s farmers.”
