PRIME MINISTER STARMER RUNS AWAY FROM FAMILY FARM TAX DEMONSTRATION (UPDATED)

By Bill Heaney

Tractors will soon be rolling up to the doors of the Westminster parliament as anger grows amongst farmers about inheritance tax.

A demonstration on Saturday outside the Welsh parliament was given UK wide publicity and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer left a meeting there by the back door rather than face the wrath of waiting farmers over the family farm tax.

Stirling Conservative MSP Meghan Gallacher has asked in Holyrood what discussions the SNP parliament have had with their United Kingdom Government counterparts regarding the changes made to agricultural property relief on inheritance tax

But Jim Fairlie, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, told her: “Disappointingly, we had no advance notice or engagement from the United Kingdom Government over those changes.

“I urge the UK Government to engage with us to ensure that its plans properly account for the distinct features of Scotland’s agricultural sector, since family farms, tenant farms and crofting are all key parts of rural life in Scotland.

“Ultimately, the Scottish Government believes that inheritance tax powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament so that the tax can be designed for and tailored to the Scottish context, which the UK Government’s proposals simply do not reflect.

“We want a tax system that supports, rather than hinders, orderly succession planning and the transfer of land to the next generation of custodians.”

Meghan Gallacher, left, replied: “This Parliament sent a clear message to the Labour Government by backing a Scottish Conservative motion calling for the family farm tax to be scrapped.

“Rather than having any sympathy with our farmers, especially those who are recovering from cancer, Labour’s response has been to tell farmers to get their affairs in order.

“With the majority of the Scottish Parliament against the new tax, in his next meeting with his Labour counterparts, will the minister use his authority to demand that the family farm tax simply has to go?”

Jim Fairlie said: “We have intergovernmental meetings with UK counterparts, and that issue will absolutely be raised.

“However, it is also worth pointing out that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in Westminster has confirmed that it was not engaged during the policy’s development.

“It is absolutely essential that the UK Government reverses the proposal and allows us to have a proper consultation to find out the effects of this damaging tax.”

His SNP colleague, Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP), pictured right, was furious. She said: “The Labour Party has shown that it has no understanding of the unique needs of Scottish agriculture and no interest in trying to understand those needs.

“The removal of ring-fenced funding is a severe blow to Scotland’s farming sector and comes on the back of the loss of multi-annual funding, which was foisted on it by the Tories.

“Labour’s decision shows that it has little to no interest in farming, food security or the prosperity of rural Scotland and its economy. Will the First Minister outline his Government’s support for rural Scotland amid the latest Westminster turmoil?”

First Minister John Swinney told her: “The implications for the farming sector of the post-Brexit arrangements are deeply damaging.

“Prior to Brexit, farmers in this country had seven years of financial certainty. That has been removed and, at present, we have only one year of financial certainty about the support that will be available.

“The Scottish Government will try to provide as much certainty as possible, and we will set out provisions in the budget on 4 December.

“We will also take forward the agreement of the Parliament yesterday to challenge the United Kingdom Government about the changes to inheritance tax, which will be devastating for family farms in Scotland and will severely undermine their sustainability.

“Yesterday, at the AgriScot event at the Ingliston showground, I made it absolutely clear that the Government will honour its commitment to return to the rural affairs portfolio the £46 million that it had to use to deal with short-term financial pressures in the past two financial years.”

Top picture: A family farm in Glen Fruin between Helensburgh and Loch Lomondside.