'We can give no more': farmers say the inheritance tax changes are last straw
The Guardian|November 09, 2024
Over the next few weeks there could be tractors full of angry farmers rolling through the stately streets of Westminster.
Helena Horton
'We can give no more': farmers say the inheritance tax changes are last straw

They've had enough, they say. The change to inheritance tax in the government's budget last week was a blow - but it was also the most recent of a long series of blows. This is, apparently, as much as they can take.

Last week Rachel Reeves stirred up anger when she made a surprise announcement in the budget that farmland worth over £1m will now be subject to inheritance tax. Since 1992, agricultural property relief (APR) has meant family farms have been able to be passed down tax-free in a policy that was aimed at boosting food security and keeping people on the family land.

But this is just the latest policy to have hit agriculture over the last few years. For decades there had been anger over deals with supermarkets which, farmers said, forced them to cut margins to the bone. Then came Brexit, which brought broken promises over Brexit trade deals with Australia and New Zealand allowing in cheap meat raised to lower standards and incensing farmers who felt undercut.

Brexit also meant a transition away from the subsidies of the EU's common agricultural policy to a new scheme where farmers are paid for environmental goods, the delivery of which was botched and delayed. They have faced new export challenges, and wrestled with access to the seasonal workers they need.

Finally they have felt abandoned when extreme weather conditions have wiped out entire crops, while inflation has caused the cost of fuel and fertiliser rocket.

この記事は The Guardian の November 09, 2024 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は The Guardian の November 09, 2024 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

THE GUARDIANのその他の記事すべて表示
Money hacks How to save on winter sports holidays
The Guardian

Money hacks How to save on winter sports holidays

When it comes to skiing and snowboarding, going to Europe will always be cheaper than flying to somewhere such as the US or Canada - but costs vary massively on the continent.

time-read
4 分  |
November 23, 2024
Scam refund claims
The Guardian

Scam refund claims

Some victims of bank transfer scams will not get a penny back despite beefed-up rules designed to better protect consumers from fraudsters because several big banks have introduced an excess on refund claims.

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
Packaged accounts Are the perks worth the money?
The Guardian

Packaged accounts Are the perks worth the money?

For a monthly fee, banks offer everyday banking with all kinds of enticing extras. Laura Whateley examines how the 'freebies' stack up

time-read
6 分  |
November 23, 2024
Spain floods force firms to look south for oranges
The Guardian

Spain floods force firms to look south for oranges

Some British retailers and wholesalers have been forced to switch to sourcing oranges from South Africa and South America earlier than usual after last month's floods in eastern Spain left farmers struggling to harvest and ship their crops.

time-read
2 分  |
November 23, 2024
Northvolt boss resigns after EV battery firm files for bankruptcy
The Guardian

Northvolt boss resigns after EV battery firm files for bankruptcy

The chief executive of Northvolt has resigned after the Swedish battery startup filed for bankruptcy protection in the US.

time-read
2 分  |
November 23, 2024
Electric dream sours Carmakers fight strict EV rules as fines loom
The Guardian

Electric dream sours Carmakers fight strict EV rules as fines loom

When Ford announced this week that it was cutting 800 jobs in the UK, the US carmaker had stern words for the government.

time-read
2 分  |
November 23, 2024
The Guardian

Irish tycoon bids to buy out Yorkshire Post owner

National World, the owner of the Scotsman and Yorkshire Post - and underbidder in the auction for the Telegraph - has received a buyout proposal from largest shareholder.

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
Bitcoin rises after US SEC chair says he will step down
The Guardian

Bitcoin rises after US SEC chair says he will step down

Cryptocurrencies rose sharply immediately after one of the industry's biggest critics, Gary Gensler, said he would stand down as the head of the US financial regulator when president-elect Donald Trump was inaugurated in January.

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
Feeling the strain Rising bills and Trump policies to add to pressure on households
The Guardian

Feeling the strain Rising bills and Trump policies to add to pressure on households

Labour swept to power in the wake of a punishing cost of living crisis that hit households hard, with the price of food and energy rocketing, alongside the impact on mortgage rates of Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget.

time-read
4 分  |
November 23, 2024
Budget blamed for end to 12 months of expansion as optimism slumps
The Guardian

Budget blamed for end to 12 months of expansion as optimism slumps

Labour's first budget in 14 years has been given the \"thumbs down\" by private sector businesses, with Rachel Reeves's measures blamed for the end to a 12-month run of expansion and a fall in retail sales.

time-read
2 分  |
November 23, 2024