Starmer boxed in by farmers in Milton Keynes today. 🚜

Barleyfields

I don’t know if the average voter knows how much farm machinery costs, but the value of these essential machines is of course counted in valuing estates for IHT, so a farmer’s necessary tools of the trade will cost his family dear when he dies.

That's Ok, his family can sell the expensive farm machinery and go back to hand tilling. If they're lucky enough to be able to keep a horse or two they can have help with the ploughing. Will it affect productivity? Probably, but then fairs fair, and we can always import all the food we need. 🙄🙄

In relative terms, it will bring in a pittance. I have no idea why they didn’t introduce IHT at the full rate on estates which include farmland which the deceased has not actively farmed. Those are the people who have invested in farmland to escape IHT.

Casdon

I’m sure you’re right Barleyfields, but I don’t think that people see it in those terms. To win them over, it’s the wrong message.

Speaking for the average voter?
Evidence?

The expenditure required to reduce waiting lists doesn’t equate directly to the cost of running the whole NHS though, it’s very specific GrannyGravy13. It remains to be seen whether the pledge to cut waiting lists will be achieved, which is a different issue.

I heard somewhere yesterday that the amount of IHT anticipated each year from the farmers will keep the NHS afloat for approximately one and a half days.

PM is misleading the electorate once again, with his repeated soundbites that this tax will cut NHS waiting lists significantly…

I’m sure you’re right Barleyfields, but I don’t think that people see it in those terms. To win them over, it’s the wrong message.

I don’t know if the average voter knows how much farm machinery costs, but the value of these essential machines is of course counted in valuing estates for IHT, so a farmer’s necessary tools of the trade will cost his family dear when he dies.

The effect it had on Starmer was that in an interview with Sky News afterwards, he doubled down.
nation.cymru/news/people-face-choice-between-nhs-or-farmers-tax-breaks-says-pm-after-protest/

As an aside, I feel quite uncomfortable about the farmers protesting whilst driving their best tractors, with millions of pounds worth of machinery on display at the latest protest, which I don’t think does them any favours with the average voter.

Not the real farmers who are working to provide our food but those who are landowners. They are hiding their wealth and avoiding inheritance taxes and calling themselves farmers.

The poorer young people with children suffer. The birth rate has fallen because of child care costs. The children of today will pay the pensions of tomorrow. The landowners will not suffer even then as they have their trust funds and other tax loophole schemes.

I support the British farming community.

It had an effect on Starmer, Grantanow, because he didn’t stop to answer questions from the press. Whether he had intended to leave by helicopter or did so because he didn’t want to face the protesters I don’t know. However, I don’t think for one moment that he and Reeves will abandon this ill thought out policy. They seem incapable of admitting that they got something wrong.

Grantanow

The farmers' demo seemed pretty ineffective.

What effect where you anticipating?

Yes, because most of the farmers were getting on with their work knowing the whole thing was yet another media storm...

The farmers' demo seemed pretty ineffective.

Sorry for typos! Battery dying.

Looking at photos of empty shelves in Queensland (due to floods and broken pn roads and bridges), we are just a few days from having no food if farmers decide to give up their jobs because they feel unappreciated.

We can survive without other items but without not food or water.

JaneJudge

No farmers
No food
No future

Back British farming

This.

JaneJudge

No farmers
No food
No future

Back British farming

👏👏👏

Makes you think Piskey. …

That’s cos I’m not a slave to the Labour Party and don’t feel I have to defend them from every stupid decision they make
Maybee70
This has zip/ nada/ zilch to do with Brexit so play another tune.

They may not have even been their fields Maybee, they might be landowners fields that they rented
All now up for sale here, since brexit

Oreo

For a start not all farmers voted for Brexit.
Secondly this matter has nothing to do with Brexit.
Thirdly the farmers in this country care passionately about their jobs and farms and want their sons and daughters to be able to carry on the family tradition.They don’t have time to constantly protest ( unlike the so called eco warriors ) so the fact of so many farmers turning up in tractors tells you how worried they are.Some of the decisions taken by this government make me ashamed to have voted for them.

No. But the placards they put in their fields would have persuaded a lot of people to vote leave.And they haven’t bothered to protest about the effect that Brexit has had on them, probably because it was down to their beloved Conservative Party ( more placards). I realise you’re ashamed to have voted Labour because you seem to criticise things they do on a regular basis but rarely, if ever, comment on any good things they do.

No farmers
No food
No future

Back British farming

Well said, Oreo.

I am trying to keep the lid on my steam at some of these posts. 🤯
Obviously some posters think their food grows on trees.

Oh, who knew! - some of it does!! Who grows it, nurtures it, picks it, arranges it to go to market? 🤔

For a start not all farmers voted for Brexit.
Secondly this matter has nothing to do with Brexit.
Thirdly the farmers in this country care passionately about their jobs and farms and want their sons and daughters to be able to carry on the family tradition.They don’t have time to constantly protest ( unlike the so called eco warriors ) so the fact of so many farmers turning up in tractors tells you how worried they are.Some of the decisions taken by this government make me ashamed to have voted for them.