Charlie Dewhirst, Member of Parliament for Bridlington and The Wolds, has taken a stand this week against Labour's proposed tax changes, which threaten devastating challenges to family farms across the United Kingdom and our nation's food security.
Joined by fellow Conservative MPs Harriet Cross, Aphra Brandreth, Greg Smith, Sarah Bool, and Alicia Kearns, Charlie Dewhirst delivered a co-signed letter to the Chancellor at Downing Street, voicing their sincere opposition to the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) as announced in the Budget.
Labour’s tax changes will mean that farming families will face an inheritance tax bill on land and assets passed down to the next generation. This bill will be in the hundreds of thousands, or even millions for larger family farms. It strikes at the very heart of British agriculture, compromising our ability to produce food domestically, sustain rural economies, and continue vital environmental stewardship.
Charlie Dewhirst MP commented:
“Labour’s Family Farm Tax will devastate family-owned farms that are the backbone of our rural communities, including many across Bridlington and The Wolds.
The Government’s plan is not targeting wealthy estates as they claim, but rather hard-working farming families who already operate with slim margins. This is a dangerous misunderstanding of what British farming entails, and it poses a significant threat to our food security and rural way of life. I am appalled by these plans and will continue to stand with our farming families to fight this unjust tax."
The letter highlighted the sudden shift in Labour’s position on APR and BPR, in a move that has shattered trust within the farming community. Charlie Dewhirst and other MPs are calling on the Government to reconsider the changes to APR and BPR, and work with farming and rural organisations like the NFU and CLA to find a sustainable solution that supports family farms, strengthens food security, and preserves the rural way of life.
Charlie urges all who value British farming, food security and our rural heritage to oppose these changes by signing the petition at www.stopthefarmtax.com. For more information or support on this, or any other issue, please contact Charlie Dewhirst MP by email to [email protected]
