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The Farmers Fight

(793 Posts)
Sarnia Mon 18-Nov-24 08:46:41

Infuriated farmers will be protesting against Labour's 'Tractor Tax' opposite Downing Street tomorrow. They are being asked not to bring farm machinery but I hope they clutter up Whitehall with every tractor and combine harvester they can lay their hands on. Reeves claims 'only' 20% of farms will be affected by her latest smash and grab raid but economists say it is nearer 70%. Has it not figured in her brain that if farmers, who already struggle to make ends meet, chuck in the towel, there will be a serious food shortage?

Freya5 Mon 18-Nov-24 10:44:25

I stand with our farmers. For many years a family member was from such a family, this stance against our hardworking food producers, the working population, is nothing but a political manouvre, ideologically driven by advice from left wing university lecture, one man, Arun Advani, no discussion with anyone else as far as I can see. Just dropped into the conversation. Starmer in a previous interview said he would defend farming. Another lie from a man we cannot trust.
Rather like Reeves taking advice from "pensioners are codgers, who should pay more tax" Troup.
This inheritance tax, having to sell family farms, no passing on, reducing our food supplies for inferior , tax miles imports, food.
Well at least that's a lot of votes less for Labour at the next election.

Anniebach Mon 18-Nov-24 10:46:25

Farmers are staunch conservative supporters

merlotgran Mon 18-Nov-24 10:47:05

As for David's suggestion that farmers should only farm on alternate years - I'm gobsmacked that anyone should be so ignorant about how farming actually works

Me too.

LizzieDrip Mon 18-Nov-24 10:54:18

So Just Stop Oil disrupting the traffic is bad, but farmers doing the same is cheered on

Funny that isn’t it🤷‍♀️

keepingquiet Mon 18-Nov-24 11:05:22

Anniebach

Farmers are staunch conservative supporters

Not all of them are- how do you know?

MaizieD Mon 18-Nov-24 11:10:01

LizzieDrip

^So Just Stop Oil disrupting the traffic is bad, but farmers doing the same is cheered on^

Funny that isn’t it🤷‍♀️

Especially 'funny' when you consider that if we don't seriously cut our fossil fuel consumption farmers will have far more to worry about than IHT.

We're already seeing the effect of climate change in our weather patterns, patterns which are already adversely affecting farming.

NotSpaghetti Mon 18-Nov-24 11:15:05

Terribull - lots of these people have acquired land precisely because of the previous 0% tax!

Fleurpepper Mon 18-Nov-24 11:26:01

GrannyGravy13

Allira

I read the police will arrest farmers driving tractors into London tomorrow.

On what grounds?

If they do start arresting farmers for a peaceful protest then it is definitely two tier policing.

if they are, it would be for causing an obstruction. To police, to ambulances, etc. I find it puzzling that some people say that all those causing an obstruction when protesting, be it for climate change, etc, should be arrested and taken away- but not farmers with massive tractors?

Anniebach Mon 18-Nov-24 11:37:27

Quote keepingquiet Mon 18-Nov-24 11:05:22
Anniebach
Farmers are staunch conservative supporters
Not all of them are- how do you know?
Add comment | Report | Private message | Quote

I should have said -in Wales,I know because I have canvassed
in general elections since the sixties , in Wales

LizzieDrip Mon 18-Nov-24 11:39:28

Facts about IHT on farms, from BBC Verify:

www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8rlk0d2vk2o

Wyllow3 Mon 18-Nov-24 11:41:10

Its right that people who have just acquired land in order to avoid IT should be taxed, and the well off have ways and means of getting out of IT

www.theguardian.com/money/2024/oct/29/loophole-exempts-landowners-england-inheritance-tax-data-shows

What I feel has been lacking imo is a real long term view about food production in the UK, who produces the food, how best we can be more self-sufficient, how small farmers fit into the picture when food-producing, when considering the rates of IT and the levels when they should start.

silverlining48 Mon 18-Nov-24 11:44:16

Just a thought ….Many pensioners are cash poor, asset rich but inheritance tax is still demanded which usually means selling the house or getting a loan.

A home is a home and while it may not be a business it is still a family inheritance and if lost, devastating for the family.

Why do we pay 40% and those affected farmers will pay only 20%.and wealthy investors who are busy buying up farm land to avoid taxes are saving themselves an absolute fortune.

Sarnia Mon 18-Nov-24 11:49:01

Ilovecheese

So Just Stop Oil disrupting the traffic is bad, but farmers doing the same is cheered on.

I was using it as a reply to one poster who said the police may move them on or arrest them. I am not starting a discussion on Just Stop Oil. Both groups have valid view points. This was a reflection on the policing.

madalene Mon 18-Nov-24 11:53:01

escaped

Good for them! I hope they deposit tons of manure on the doorstep of Downing Street.

I'm not knowledgeable on farming, but I've lived enough years in rural France and Devon to understand somewhat. Looking at it from the human angle, farming has always held a place of importance in our national consciousness. I hate to see traditions eroded which will inevitably bring numerous problems to an already suffering industry. Not just financially in terms of livelihoods, but emotionally too. We know suicide in the agricultural sector has already grown in recent years. Does the government really want to add more stresses and pressure to the lives of these hardworking people?

They don’t care. They want to raise more taxes, as they said they wouldn’t! Labour governments always want to raise more taxes, but because they promised certain taxes that affect ordinary people wouldn’t rise, they have looked for easy targets. The farmers are an easy target. RR and KS haven’t a clue about farming, but I’d have thought even they would have been bright enough to realise that if farmers need to pay so much IHT that their farms are no longer viable, that food would then need to be imported. But that will cause a big problem with carbon emissions, but never mind, so long as they’ve hit the ‘wealthy’ farmers.

David49 Mon 18-Nov-24 11:58:26

“Fine, David, but what did the farmers live on?”

Very often the wife wages!

Whatever the farm produces goes back into working capital, you’ve heard of inflation, everything costs more year on year the farm needs more capital to keep going.

Allira Mon 18-Nov-24 12:06:55

Fleurpepper

GrannyGravy13

Allira

I read the police will arrest farmers driving tractors into London tomorrow.

On what grounds?

If they do start arresting farmers for a peaceful protest then it is definitely two tier policing.

if they are, it would be for causing an obstruction. To police, to ambulances, etc. I find it puzzling that some people say that all those causing an obstruction when protesting, be it for climate change, etc, should be arrested and taken away- but not farmers with massive tractors?

I find it puzzling that some people say

Some people say - but which some people?
Are they the same some people?

Nonnato2 Mon 18-Nov-24 12:10:57

LizzieDrip

^So Just Stop Oil disrupting the traffic is bad, but farmers doing the same is cheered on^

Funny that isn’t it🤷‍♀️

What just stop oil are disrupting and causing mayhem for isn’t deliverable. The farmers are protesting and Reeves could reverse this disgusting tax grab if she wanted to to.

David49 Mon 18-Nov-24 12:11:46

eddiecat78

As a retired farmer I would really like to know how Reeves is calculating her "only 20% of farmers will be affected" .
We were in Warwickshire where the majority of farms are over 300 acres - which equates to a value of at least £3 million so all of these would be affected. In fact a 300 acre farm is considered small and only just economic there.
As for David's suggestion that farmers should only farm on alternate years - I'm gobsmacked that anyone should be so ignorant about how farming actually works!

That is what is happening now a lot of farms have got a large % of their land in environmental schemes, large estates are taking the whole acreage out of production.
There is no point planting beans, oilseed or linseed if it’s not going to pay the bills, even barley is very marginal.

LizzieDrip Mon 18-Nov-24 12:12:50

Absolutely silverling.

My ‘estate’ won’t be any where near eligible for IHT when I pop my clogs.

However, if I have to go into a care home, my house will probably have to go, in order to pay for it.

That will be goodbye to all my daughter’s inheritance!

Calendargirl Mon 18-Nov-24 13:12:30

keepingquiet

Anniebach

Farmers are staunch conservative supporters

Not all of them are- how do you know?

At election time, many farmers have placards up in their fields supporting the local Conservative candidate.

Didn’t see as many the last GE.

Think that might alter by the next election though.

🚜

NotSpaghetti Mon 18-Nov-24 13:18:03

Thanks for the link Lizzie - so, assuming the farms are passed on to family the actual number of estates which will be subject to this is 117 - ish.

vegansrock Mon 18-Nov-24 13:19:45

Maybe they should drive in their Range Rovers or their daughters’ horse boxes. Jeremy Clarkson and the like openly admitted to buying farmland in order to avoid IHT, so I’m putting my violins away for farmers. They should pay tax like everyone else. They can avoid IHT with forward planning like other wealthy landowners.

vegansrock Mon 18-Nov-24 13:20:55

The far right bully boys are going to be piggy backing on this protest.

HousePlantQueen Mon 18-Nov-24 13:23:25

GrannyGravy13

Allira

I read the police will arrest farmers driving tractors into London tomorrow.

On what grounds?

If they do start arresting farmers for a peaceful protest then it is definitely two tier policing.

Hmm. I wonder how many of those on GN who are supporting the farmers as they propose to block roads in London, cause chaos etc., are the same GN posters who called for the strongest penalties for the Just Stop Oil protesters when they block roads and stopped the public from going about their business?

Nonnato2 Mon 18-Nov-24 13:24:20

vegansrock

The far right bully boys are going to be piggy backing on this protest.

Who are the ‘far right bully boys’?