Farmers react with 'fury' and 'anger' after Treasury meeting over inheritance tax

18 February 2025, 12:23 | Updated: 18 February 2025, 14:26

The president of the National Farmers Union says there is "fury" and "anger" among farmers - after the government refused to change its controversial inheritance tax plans.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw met with the Treasury on Tuesday morning and said the union was offering them alternative solutions that raise funds.

"The government believes they are correct in the decisions they've made. Disappointment doesn't describe how I feel," he said.

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The union chief added: "The message was clear to them today - go away."

He said the union was "really cross" about the government's lack of movement.

"They don't care about the human impact…intergenerational impact. They don't care about food production."

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In last October's budget, the government announced plans to introduce a 20% inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1m from April 2026.

It claims only the wealthiest of farms will be impacted, but farming groups say it will in fact make thousands of small and medium-sized farms financially unviable.

The NFU has proposed a clawback scheme which would see tax only charged once a farm is sold, rather than on inheritance.

There have been numerous protests against the change, with hundreds of tractors blocking Whitehall and Downing Street last week.

On questions about whether farmers should blockade food depots and disrupt production, Mr Bradshaw said: "Public support is absolutely fundamental to pressurising the government.

"We must keep public support at all costs as that will drive political support. I get the genuine anger and frustration that farmers are feeling today, but public support will get us through this."

A government spokesperson said: "Our commitment to farmers and rural communities remains steadfast.

"This government will invest £5bn into farming over the next two years, the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country's history.

"Our reform to agricultural and business property reliefs will mean farmers will pay a reduced inheritance tax rate of 20%, rather than the standard 40% for other businesses, and payments can be spread over 10 years, interest-free.

"This is a fair and balanced approach, which fixes the public services we all rely on, affecting around 500 estates a year."

Shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary Victoria Atkins said of the meeting: "Calling farmers in for a meeting to patronise and ignore them shows Labour are driven only by metropolitan arrogance."

Liberal Democrat environment and rural affairs spokesperson Tim Farron MP said: "This government is throwing farmers to the wolves."

(c) Sky News 2025: Farmers react with 'fury' and 'anger' after Treasury meeting over inheritance tax