I have received numerous emails about the Government’s removal of Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR).
I share my constituents’ concerns and agree that the Government’s decision to press ahead with changes to these vital reliefs is both unfair and deeply damaging to British farming and our rural communities.
Farmers are the backbone of our countryside. They work tirelessly in all conditions to feed the nation, care for the land and sustain rural economies. These reforms risk penalising exactly those families who are doing things the right way – working hard, investing in their businesses, and keeping farms within the family. The Government’s approach fails to distinguish between those genuinely running agricultural enterprises and those simply seeking to shelter wealth through land ownership.
The potential consequences are stark: family farms forced to break up, younger generations discouraged from taking on the land, and even greater strain on rural communities already facing mounting pressures. I have seen the distress and uncertainty these proposals are causing, and I recognise the very real human impact behind the headlines.
I oppose these changes and will continue to challenge the Government on this issue – supporting policies that protect family farms and promote the long-term sustainability of British agriculture. I will continue to press the Chancellor to reverse course in the forthcoming Budget and to stand up for farmers and rural Britain. Our farming families deserve stability, fairness, and a government that recognises the essential role they play in our national life.
