Starmer held private meeting with NFU boss for ‘grown-up’ inheritance tax talks

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. We will always meet with key stakeholders to hear their views, as that is what a serious, grown-up government does No 10 spokesman Asked about reports of an undisclosed meeting, a No 10 spokesman said: “The Prime Minister did meet the National Farmers’ Union president Tom Bradshaw on Monday afternoon. “They had a wide-ranging conversation in which the Prime Minister recognised the strength of feeling about the changes to agricultural property relief set out in the Budget and listened to the NFU’s concerns.” The Prime Minister and Mr Bradshaw are also understood to have touched upon food security, trade, and other issues affecting farmers. “But the Prime Minister took the opportunity to have a constructive conversation with Mr Bradshaw about why we believe the changes are the right approach and to discuss how they can work together to support British farmers.” Mr Bradshaw meanwhile said: “I welcome the Prime Minister asking to hear directly about farmers’ concerns, and I am grateful to him for taking the time to do so. The economics-focused think tank said some “relatively simple tax planning” will ensure farms worth more than £2 million will not hit the threshold at which they have to start paying inheritance tax.