Rachel Reeves’ inheritance tax raid has been blasted by farmers (Image: Getty)
A “kind hearted” farmer tragically took his own life after Rachel Reeves’ crushing inheritance tax raid, his son said.
John Charlesworth, 78, was found dead at his 70-acre farm in Barnsley, Yorkshire, on Tuesday, 24 hours before the Budget.
He was devastated at the thought his relatives might lose his £2 million estate, which had been in the family since 1957.
His son Jonathan, 46, said his father ended his life after being “eaten away” at Labour’s plans to end the practice of letting all farmers pass on estates without inheritance tax marking the “final straw” for John.
The father of two had been caring for his sick wife.
In a harrowing message to Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, he said: “I would tell them they’ve killed my Dad.
“He didn’t know the details but all the scaremongering around it beforehand frightened him to death.”
Jonathan told The Telegraph: “He was the most kindhearted person you’d ever meet, my Dad. He wouldn’t take any nonsense.
“He would do anything for anybody, I don’t think anyone had a bad word to say about my Dad.”
Previously, farmland and associated buildings had benefited from ‘agricultural property relief’.
However, anyone inheriting working farmland and its buildings will have to pay 20% tax on valuations over £1 million from April 2026 following the Budget.
With farmland alone worth about £10,000 an acre, any estate of over just 100 acres looks set to be liable. – although Reeves says only 27% of farms across the country will be affected.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw has urged his members to descend on Church House in Westminster on November 19 to take their fight to the Government.
The NFU president added that he was “absolutely baffled” at the Government’s decision to “double down” on inheritance tax on farms.
He said: “Farmers, I know many of you are feeling angry and betrayed.
“We share that frustration. We understand what the impact of this ‘family farm tax’ could have on you, your farm and your family.”
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Keir Starmer and David Lammy congratulate Donald Trump on US election victory
Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer has congratulated Donald Trump on his “historic election victory”.
The Prime Minister said the special relationship between the UK and the US will “continue to prosper”.
Sir Keir will be looking to build bridges with Mr Trump after the Republican politician’s campaign filed a legal complaint about Labour activists supporting Democrat Kamala Harris.
The PM has also clashed with billionaire Elon Musk who looks set to play a key role in the Trump administration.
Sir Keir said: “I look forward to working with you in the years ahead. As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.
“From growth and security to innovation and tech, I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come.”
Donald Trump declares victory as he addresses supporters in Florida (Image: Getty)
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who has been a vocal critic of Mr Trump in the past and once branded him as a “racist KKK and Nazi sympathiser”, also congratulated the Republican.
He said: “The UK has no greater friend than the US, with the special relationship being cherished on both sides of the Atlantic for more than 80 years.
“We look forward to working with you and JD Vance in the years ahead.”
It comes after Mr Trump declared he has won a “magnificent victory for the American people” after victories in key swing states.
Addressing a campaign party in Florida in the early hours of Wednesday, Mr Trump told his supporters that “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate”.
He said that he would not let his backers down and that it is “time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us”.
The 78-year-old pledged to “fight” for “every citizen” and promised the “golden age of America”.
He said: “Every single day I will be fighting for you with every breath in my body.
“I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve, and that you deserve.”
He added: “This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again.”
Minutes before he took to the stage, it was projected that Mr Trump had won in the state of Pennsylvania, after victories in North Carolina and Georgia, swing states where the race with his Democrat rival has been closely fought.
