Farming chief calls for pause on ‘disastrous’ tractor tax in latest blow to Starmer over controversial change

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A farming chief has called on Keir Starmer to pause his “disastrous” reforms to agricultural inheritance tax in the latest blow to the prime minister over his controversial “tractor tax”. National Farmers’ Union president Tom Bradshaw intervened in the row again on Tuesday to say he had never before seen the “anger, despair and sense of betrayal” prompted by ending the 100 per cent exemption from inheritance tax on qualifying business and agricultural assets worth more than £1 million per person. open image in gallery National Farmers’ Union president Tom Bradshaw intervened in the row again on Tuesday to say he had never before seen the ‘anger, despair and sense of betrayal’ prompted by the controversial change In an exclusive interview with The Independent on Saturday, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak threw down the gauntlet to Sir Keir to prove the case for the controversial change and raised concerns about the consequences for hardworking families across Britain. The onus will be on the government to demonstrate that this doesn’t have the impact that some fear it will have.” In response to the warning, Mr Bradshaw said: “Mr Nowak is right to be concerned about the impact of the family farm tax, and we welcome his comments.” In his remarks on Tuesday, Mr Bradshaw did also say there had been successes for British farming, including fairer supply chains in the dairy sector and eight of the UK’s major retailers backing the NFU’s long-standing call for “buy British” tabs to be added to their websites.