Strictly Come Dancing star JB Gill hits out at Labour’s inheritance tax raid on British farmers as he claims Government ‘doesn’t understand just how impactful the industry is’_Nhy
Strictly Come Dancing star JB Gill has hit out at Rachel Reeves‘ move to impose inheritance tax on Britain’s farmers.
The JLS singer, who owns a £1.5million `farm in Kent, accused the government of failing to understand that the new tax will be ‘hugely impactful’ on the ‘under supported, under-represented’ sector.
Gill, 38, said he backed farmers’ protests against the Chancellor’s plan to levy 20 per cent inheritance tax on agriculture assets worth more than £1m.
He told the Mail on Sunday: ‘The government perhaps don’t understand just how impactful the farm farming industry is to all of us.
‘I think it’s something that’s important – here in the UK, we have such high welfare standards when it comes to producing food that we really do have to support it and back British as much as possible.
‘You’ve got a very small number of people who are producing a great deal of food for quite a large population and with things like the inheritance tax, it really does feel like there’s no support out there.’
The new tax regime is due to begin next year, and will end the previous 100 per cent tax exemption on all family farms being passed down.
Critics say it will wipe out Britain’s next generation of farmers, ruining businesses and forcing food prices up.
The JLS singer, who owns a £1.5million `farm in Kent, accused the government of failing to understand that the new tax will be ‘hugely impactful’ on the ‘under supported, under-represented’ sector
Strictly Come Dancing star JB Gill has hit out at Rachel Reeves ‘ move to impose inheritance tax on Britain’s farmers
Gill said he backed farmers’ protests against the Chancellor’s (pictured) plan to levy 20 per cent inheritance tax on agriculature assets worth more than £1m
In recent weeks, thousands of farmers and their tractors have transcended upon Westminster to protest against the changes to inheritance tax.
Just this week farmers took to the streets of London for a ‘Pancake Day rally’ where they vowed that they would not stop protesting against the government’s inheritance tax policy.
Gill, who has owned his farm for 12 years, said: ‘There are massive farms that have perhaps been in families for generations.
‘And when the landowner passes they then have to be able to pay a massive percentage of inheritance tax, which isn’t necessarily readily available in the business.
‘That’s hugely impactful. It doesn’t quite sit right with me, so there definitely has to be something that can be done.
‘It’s a very under-supported, under-represented industry.’
The singer lives on his farm with his wife, Chloe Tangney, and two children, Ace, 9, and Chiara, 7.
His farm has been the inspiration for his recent children’s books, Ace and the Animal Heroes.
Protesters held up banners as they protested against the inheritance tax earlier this week
Thousands of outraged farmers descended on Westminster earlier this week to protest against the so-called ‘family death tax’
Many farming families are concerned the inheritance tax will devastate their industry
Tractors lined up on the streets of the capital, despite police issuing a specific ban on them
‘The farm has been fantastic when it comes to bringing up our family. The space in lockdown was invaluable.
I’ve always loved my food. I grew up in the Caribbean so learning about where my food comes from and how it’s made is very close to my heart.
‘I have family members that were fishermen and ran local bakeries, so it’s in my blood and having the opportunity to do that here has been amazing.
‘The reason for my books are to teach kids where their vegetables and food come from and making it into a fun story.
‘I’ve always enjoyed writing. It’s something that I’ve done as part of JLS with our songwriting, and really it’s just been an extension of that.
‘And reading to my children, there’s no better feeling than that.’
