Keir Starmer the Farmer Harmer - Government Must U-Turn on Family Farms Tax say Southport Conservatives

Thousands of farmers from across the country have converged on Westminster to protest against Labour’s cruel tax on family farms, announced in last month’s budget.

The changes, due to come into effect from April 2026, will see a huge reduction in the amount of Agricultural Property Relief available to farmers when the family farm passes from one generation to the next.

In the Northern Parishes in Southport there is a vibrant and thriving rural economy, employing thousands of local people, with many local farmers likely to be hit by the tax changes. The farmland around Southport is some of the highest grade and highest yielding farmland in the country.

Mike Prendergast, Parliamentary Spokesperson for Southport Conservatives said’ “The changes being brought in by Labour appear rushed and show a total lack of understanding about the farming sector and the impact this will have.”

“Many farming families have farmed their land for generations and these changes will make many think what’s the point in carrying on if all I’m going to be doing is lumbering my children with a whopping tax bill. Even the new rules being proposed don’t make sense with the new allowances not transferable between spouses, which is totally at odds with other Inheritance Tax allowances.””

“Farming is a capital intensive business, and farmland is part of that capital. Most farms make very modest profits and the reality is that many farmers will have to sell up to cover tax bills and once farms get below a certain size they aren’t viable.”

“We need to see a u-turn on this policy and Labour just need to admit they got it wrong. Our nation’s food security, and the livelihoods of thousands of farmers, is being put at risk because of ideologically driven policies. Labour are waging class warfare on the country.”

“The government’s treatment of farmers is appalling, Labour have reneged on an election commitment and people will not forget.”