Now Waitrose and Ocado give their backing to Britain’s farmers in their fight against Labour’s inheritance tax raid_Nhy
Waitrose and Ocado are the two latest supermarkets to call for a rethink on the Government’s family farm tax.
Nine major food retailers are now in opposition to tax changes to inheritance rules – which farmers say will force many farms to be broken up.
Supermarkets backing a pause and further consultation on the changes include Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, the Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons.
In a statement today, Waitrose said: ‘Agriculture is the backbone of our food system and of rural Britain and we are hearing from our farmers that inheritance tax is limiting their ability to plan ahead. It is important that the Government considers the impact of these changes and listens to farmers’ concerns’.
They also said they support a pause in the implementation of the inheritance tax changes.
A spokesman for Ocado said: ‘We join the NFU’s call for a consultation on inheritance tax- the proposed increase will impact farmers’ ability to continue developing a resilient British food system’.
Shortly after October’s Budget, Sainsbury’s urged ministers to ‘listen to the concerns’ of farmers about the tax changes.
Earlier this month, Morrisons told farmers ‘we’re with you’ in their fight against Labour’s action.
Farmers protesting in Westminster against a rise in inheritance tax on November 19 2024. Nine major food retailers have now voiced their opposition to the tax changes
Farmers protesting in Westminster. Earlier this month, Morrisons told farmers ‘we’re with you’ in their fight against Labour’s action
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the tax change in the October budget
And, last week, Asda also offered their public backing for farmers by supporting a demand for a pause in Labour’s implementation of the Budget measures.
Today, the shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins called on the Government to measure the number of farmers dying by suicide to ‘understand the human cost’ of the Government’s changes to inheritance tax on agricultural land urged the Government to commit to ‘a full and proper review of this dreadful policy’.
The National Farmers’ Union has warned that some farmers may commit suicide to avoid their heirs being hit with 20 per cent inheritance tax.
But Treasury minister James Murray said the Government’s plans to impose 20 per cent inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million is a ‘fair approach’, with current relief on business and agricultural assets ‘heavily skewed towards the wealthiest estates’.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance said: ‘Rachel Reeves and the Treasury appear more and more isolated in their defence of the family farm tax, as the backlash to the policy intensifies.
‘We warned the Treasury that the total lack of consultation with the rural sector has created serious ill will in the countryside and would only lead to a long-running battle. It is imperative the government consults with the relevant stakeholders and urgently rethinks this policy’.
A Waitrose store. It is the latest supermarkets to call for a rethink on the Government’s family farm tax
Next month, MPs are set to hold another debate over the impact of the family farm tax, after a petition – ‘Don’t change inheritance tax relief for working farms’ – reached over 100,000 signatures
Thousands of farmers take part in a protest outside Downing Street in November last year
Next month, MPs are set to hold another debate over the impact of the family farm tax, after a petition – ‘Don’t change inheritance tax relief for working farms’ – reached over 100,000 signatures.
The House of Commons petitions committee has agreed that a debate on the subject will take place on February 10 at 4:30pm.
Thirty local councils, including Cornwall, Suffolk and Northumberland, have also voted through motions condemning the policy.
